BBC, Weinstein reunite for Les Mis

The Oscar-winning 2012 film version of Les Misérables

The BBC is moving ahead with an adaptation of Les Misérables and has reunited with War and Peace scribe Andrew Davies, producer Lookout Point and Weinstein Television on the project.

The six-part adaptation of Victor Hugo’s 19th century classic will be a coproduction between BBC Studios and Lookout Point for BBC1 in association with Weinstein Television.

Screenwriter Andrew Davies, who also wrote the UK pubcaster’s recent adaptation of War and Peace, will pen the series, which has been in the pipeline since 2012.

Weinstein Television will distribute the show in the US and China, with an option for Canada, while BBC Worldwide (BBCWW) will distribute elsewhere.

It comes after the same companies worked together on War and Peace, which BBCWW also distributed as part of its relationship with BBC Studios and Lookout Point, in which it holds a minority stake.

Charlotte Moore, director of BBC content, said: “BBC One viewers can expect the same quality and scale from the team behind War and Peace in this epic tale of redemption and the healing power of love.”

It will tell the story of Jean Valjean, a former convict unable to escape the shadow of his past life, and his relentless pursuit by chilling police officer Javert.

“Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables is one of the greatest novels of all time – and while the musical is one of my favourites, this will be completely different: an intense and serious drama that will find contemporary relevance to what’s going on in the world today,” said Weinstein Television’s Harvey Weinstein.

The executive producers will be Davies, Bethan Jones for BBC Studios, Faith Penhale and Simon Vaughan for Lookout Point and Harvey Weinstein for Weinstein Television. The show was commissioned by Moore and Lucy Richer, acting controller of BBC drama commissioning.

Davies recently discussed the project at annual literature event Hay Festival, where he said he was keen for his version of Les Misérables to differ in tone from the long-running stage musical and the 2012 Oscar-winning feature film, both of the same name.

“I have a dreadful memory of the musical and it’s important that people realise there is a lot more to Les Misérables than that sort of shoddy farrago. The book needs a bit of a champion,” he said.