Billed as “a fresh and contemporary take” on the classic novel, the series stars Luke Pasqualino as D’Artagnan, Tom Burke (Great Expectations, The Hour) as Athos, Santiago Cabrera (Merlin, Heroes) as Aramis and Howard Charles (Royal Shakespeare Company) as Porthos.
The Thick of It actor Peter Capaldi will also star as Cardinal Richelieu.
Adapted by Adrian Hodges, The Musketeers goes into production next month for a 2014 transmission on BBC One.
Set on the streets of 17th-century Paris where law and order is more an idea than reality, the series follows Musketeers Athos, Aramis and Porthos who are far more than King Louis XIII’s personal bodyguards, but ultimately stand resolutely for social justice: for honour, for valour, for love and for the thrill of it.
D’Artagnan, a skilled fighter from rural Gascony, meets the three Musketeers while on a mission to right the wrong of his father’s death. Although he meets the men in unfortunate circumstances, he finds kindred spirits in the other soldiers. Athos, who has rejected his noble roots to become a Musketeer, quickly befriends D’Artagnan, but has a past which is shrouded in mystery, and is prone to getting in trouble.
Porthos is a larger-than-life character, who has come from humble beginnings to become a solider in the most elite regiment in the land, finding a family in the other Musketeers. Never short of admirers, Aramis has an effortless charm which leads him in and out of love. Despite this, he is a shrewd pragmatist who is a ferocious in battle and commands a key place in the brotherhood.
Constance Bonacieux (Tamla Kari) leads a dull but comfortable life married to a cloth merchant, but her life is turned upside down when D’Artagnan tumbles into her world, and she becomes involved with The Musketeers.
Cardinal Richelieu (Capaldi), while striving to achieve his vision of a thoroughly modern France, is a shadowy character who will stop at nothing to achieve his objectives.
Milady (Maimie McCoy) is the Cardinal’s secret weapon, the most mysterious and beautiful of villains whose motives are often concealed.
The King relies on the advice of The Cardinal, his shrewd wife Queen Anne and also Captain Treville (Hugo Speer), the brave and respected commander of The Musketeers who keeps an eye on the soldiers to ensure they stay out of trouble.
Hodges said he was “thrilled to be working with such a dynamic, talented and attractive ensemble cast on our new version of The Musketeers. This series is all about passion, romance, heroism and action, and I can’t think of a better group of actors to embody those diverse qualities.
“I’m thrilled by their ability and commitment and honoured they’ve chosen to come on board to help us create what we hope will be our modern and original take on this great story and its classic characters.”