Golden Globe nominees and theater veterans Dominic West (The Affair) and David Oyelowo (Nightingale) will star in BBC One's upcoming six-part miniseries of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, according to Deadline. Andrew Davies' nonmusical adaptation of Hugo's novel will feature West as Jean Valjean with Oyelowo as Javert. Tom Shankland will direct the multi-part event that will begin shooting in February with air dates to be announced.
Set in France at a time of civil unrest, the miniseries version of Les Miz is expected to explore the relationship between Valjean and Javert more closely than ever before. In addition to West and Oyelowo, the cast will feature Lily Collins as Fantine, Adeel Akhtar as Monsieur Thénardier, Olivia Colman as Madame Thénardier, Ellie Bamber as Cosette, Josh O’Connor as Marius and Erin Kellyman as Eponine.
With a book by Alain Boublil, Jean-Marc Natel and Claude-Michel Schönberg, music by Schönberg and lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer, the musical adaptation of Les Misérables first debuted in London in October 1985, later opening on Broadway in March 1987. The musical has been revived on Broadway twice, the first time in 2006 and later in 2014. A feature film adaptation starring Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean and Russell Crowe as Javert was released in 2012.