Kit Harington, known for his role in Game of Thrones, leads the cast in a new MGM+ adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, a series based on "a timeless story of redemption through sacrifice." The period drama is set in London and Paris in 1782, during the French Revolution.
Plot and Cast Details
MGM+ revealed the story explores "the agony of unrequited love, the inevitable, furious uprising of an oppressed people and, above everything, the power of family." Mirren Mack, from Miss Austen, portrays Lucie Manette, a young woman whose life changes when she learns her father, presumed dead for nearly 20 years, may be alive in Paris. François Civil plays Charles Darnay, a French émigré who brings the news and is later arrested for treason.
Lucie asks Sydney Carton, a gifted but unpredictable lawyer played by Harington, to secure Darnay's release so he can escort her to Paris to find her father. A love triangle develops as both men seek to prove themselves worthy of her affection. MGM+ added: "Yet neither man - physically so alike, spiritually poles apart - can escape the other. Instead, they find themselves bound together in life and death; through triumphs, tragedies, marriage and murder."
Fan Reactions and Trailer Release
The trailer, featuring the iconic opening line "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..", drew enthusiastic responses on YouTube. One viewer wrote: "SPECTACULAR, What a cast!" Another shared: "Looks amazing! Can't wait to watch it." Some fans of the novel expressed cautious optimism, with one commenting: "WOW so soon! My favourite book. I'm a little afraid, though...I just hope they are faithful to the book, especially in spirit. Not sure it needs a series treatment-it's actually a pretty concise book, symbolic like a fairy tale."
Another added: "Glad to see Lucie more involved in the plot, but even though I'm glad she doesn't just weep and faint like in the book, she has a different kind of strength than modern heroines, so I hope they don't wreck that. Kit Harington seems a good choice, though." The novel, considered one of the best-selling of all time, continues to influence popular culture, with readers praising its quotable lines on Goodreads.
Premiere Date
A Tale of Two Cities will air on MGM+ on September 6.
