There may not be any songs, but the first trailer for a new adaptation of Les Misérables suggests it’s going to be every bit as lavish as the musical.
The clip released yesterday (December 2) shows an ambitious set and star-studded cast. Keep your eyes peeled for Dominic West as the convict Jean Valjean, David Oyelowo as the wicked Inspector Javert, Lily Collins as the righteous Fantine, Olivia Colman as Madame Thénardier, Josh O’Connor as Marius Pontmercy, Ellie Bamber as Cosette, and even Sir Derek Jacobi as the wise bishop of Digne.
Everybody is there, in fact, except for one thing: the music. That’s because this new six-part miniseries is a direct adaptation of Victor Hugo‘s 1862 novel, unlike the 2012 movie starring Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe, which adapted the famous 1980 musical.
The novel covers the years from 1815 to the 1832 June Rebellion in Paris, when republicans rose up against the monarchy and were eventually overcome by the army.
It’s been adapted for the screen by Andrew Davies, the king of period dramas whose previous work includes 2016’s War and Peace and the 1995 BBC/PBS version of Pride & Prejudice, which turned Colin Firth into a household name and convinced us all of the health benefits of a dip in the lake.
Les Misérables is slated to air sometime in 2019 on PBS Masterpiece in the U.S.
Are you looking forward to this?