28 October 2017

'Les Miserables' Event Series on BBC Drops The Weinstein Company

A six-part miniseries adaptation of "Les Miserables" is heading to the small screen. Its production originally involved BBC Studios, Lookout Point and The Weinstein Company (TWC) but the latter company was recently dropped from the project following Harvey Weinstein's sexual harassment scandal.

"House of Cards" writer Andrew Davies wrote BBC's adaptation of "Les Miserables."

Deadline confirmed that TWC will no longer be producing nor distributing "Les Miserables" for U.S. television. Instead, BBC Worldwide will take over the markets outside of the U.K. but TWC's departure won't affect the show's production.

Weinstein was heavily involved in developing "Les Miserables" for television in 2016.  He said the upcoming miniseries will be a "modern and yet respectful" take on Victor Hugo's celebrated classic novel. Weinstein also said that the TV version will be "completely different" from the popular stage musical.

"House of Cards" scribe Andrew Davies is attached to the project. He previously worked on BBC's adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's classic "War & Peace," which aired in 2016.

He confirmed that this version of “Les Miserables” will veer off from the stage play. “Most of us are familiar with the musical version which only offers a fragmentary outline of its story,” Davies said.

Various stage and big-screen adaptation of “Les Miserables,” including the 2012 movie that starred Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Anne Hathaway, focused on the story of a convict named Jean Valjean. He has been trying to evade an arrest by a ruthless investigator, Javert, for years. Valjean, however, comes across a struggling factory worker, Fantine and her daughter Cosette. Javert arrests Fantine, leaving Valjean to take care of Cosette and his life forever changes.

Davies also revealed his excitement over the casting of Jean Valjean and Javert in an interview with Radio Times. BBC, however, hasn't made any announcements on who will star in the TV special. “Les Miserables” will likely air in late 2018.