Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons has joined the cast of The Count of Monte Cristo, the miniseries based on the novel of the same name by Alexandre Dumas. The news is reported exclusively by Variety. The show is directed by Palme d’Or winning director Bille August and also stars Sam Claflin.
It is an adaptation of the classic written by Dumas. It is an English-language series produced by Palomar of Mediawan, the main Italian company behind the spaghetti western series That Dirty Black Bag And The Name of The rosein collaboration with another production company also linked to Mediawan, the French DEMD Productions.
Filming of the series, which will span a total of five months, will end in Malta in December 2023. Filming took place in France and Italy.
This miniseries fits Mediawan’s strategy of pursuing prestige projects with strong international potential, as part of the €100 million co-investment agreement signed this year with private equity firm Entourage Ventures, as it says Variety.
This is the third collaboration between Irons and August
The Count of Monte Cristo marks Irons’ third collaboration with August. The director has already directed it in Night train to Lisbon And The house of the spirits.
August is the esteemed Danish director who has won the Palme d’Or for films twice Leather conquering the world (1987) e With the best intentions (1992).
Irons, famous British actor famous for his roles in films and TV series such as Watchmen, Dead Ringers, Reversal of Fortune And House of Gucci, plays the key character of Abbé Faria here. In the book, Faria becomes friends with the novel’s hero, Edmond Dantès, played by Claflin, and plays a decisive role in his revenge plan.
The plot of The Count of Monte Cristo
The history of The Count of Monte Cristo follows Edmond, a 19-year-old sailor who is wrongly accused of treason and imprisoned without trial in the Château d’If, a grim fortress on the island of Marseille. After many years of imprisonment, he finally manages to escape and, under the false identity of the Count of Monte Cristo, plans to take revenge on those who falsely accused him.
Speaking to Variety Last month from the set, director August said he was attracted to the project because it’s “all about relationships, about the complexities of human beings and in that sense it’s very modern and timeless.”
A stellar cast (which also includes the Italians Michele Riondino and Lino Guanciale)
The cast also includes Ana Girardot, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Blake Ritson, Karla-Simone Spence, Gabriella Pession and Nicolas Maupas. Also present were the Italian actors Michele Riondino and Lino Guanciale.
The casting process lasted over a year. Carlo Degli Esposti, Palomar’s co-founder and veteran producer, said the journey to make the show began “five or six years ago.”
The Count of Monte Cristo is produced in association with Entourage Ventures, as well as RAI Fiction and France Televisions. It is the first series produced entirely within Mediawan and distributed worldwide by Mediawan Rights, in cooperation with CAA (for North America) and with the participation of Entourage.
Addressing the international scope and ambition of the series, Elisabeth d’Arvieu, general director of Mediawan Pictures, stated that The Count of Monte Cristo It’s precisely the type of project “that illustrates why Mediawan was created.”
Elisabeth d’Arvieu added: “The series fits into the company’s DNA because it is based on an iconic European IP known throughout the world and brings together a prestigious cast.” The executive team said the series also reflects the level of international shows that Mediawan seeks to deliver under its partnership with Entourage, together with Zorroa reboot of the series directed by Javier Quintas (La Casa de Papel, Sky Rojo).
Source-tg24.sky.it