Steven Knight And Tom Hardy Are Adapting Great Expectations For BBC

Tom Hardy is working on a television adaptation of Great Expectations.

The Mad Max star is teaming up with Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, as well as Hollywood director Ridley Scott to bring the Charles Dickens' classic to the small screen - the same team behind the BBC's A Christmas Carol last year.

But if you're expecting to see the 42-year-old actor in full Victorian garb I'm afraid you'll be disappointed, as he is only billed as an executive producer on the six-part series.

The book, which was originally published in 1861, is Dickens' penultimate novel and tells the story of an orphan called Pip.

Speaking about the series, Steven Knight said the story was close to his heart and he wanted to share it with others.

He said: "Adapting Dickens' work is a delight. I chose Great Expectations as the next work to bring to the screen not just because of the timeless characters, but also because of the very timely story.

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"A story of class mobility and class intransigence, told through an intensely emotional and personal first-person narrative. As the son of a blacksmith myself, Pip's journey from the forge into society is a very special one to me."

Eric Schrier, President of FX Entertainment, which is working with the BBC on the series, said he was excited to see what Knight does with another Dickens tale.

He said: "FX is honoured to begin the next chapter of collaboration with Steven Knight, Ridley Scott, Tom Hardy and their teams, as they reunite for this modern adaption of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations.

"Their inaugural Dickens adaptation, A Christmas Carol, was a great success both creatively and commercially. We want to thank our partners at the BBC, Scott Free and Hardy Son & Baker, for their support and can't wait to get to work on this project."

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This comes after Knight and Hardy came together last year to give another of Dickens' stories, A Christmas Carol, a TV reboot.

However, though it was widely praised, some viewers weren't so sure about the quality of the sound, with many claiming they couldn't tell what was going on.

One person said they turned down the volume and tried lip reading instead, writing: "Well done BBC you've done it again... mumbling in Christmas Carol. Turned up volume so deafened, turned down and trying to lip read."

Another said: "Once again the BBC don't know how to record sound, or hire actors that can talk without mumbling... Volume turned way up."

A third added: "Sorry BBC but I couldn't stick with this adaptation. Could barely hear the sound, the Jacob Marley scenes were unnecessary and Cratchit unconvincing. Bored after 15 minutes in. Keep it tight and spare."

Yikes.

Let's hope they fix that this time round, eh?

Topics: UK News, BBC, Interesting, UK Entertainment, tom hardy

Dominic Smithers

Dominic graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History. Like you, Dom has often questioned how much use a second language has been. Well, after stints working at the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express, along with never setting foot in France, he realised the answer is surprisingly little. But I guess, c'est la vie. Contact us at [email protected]

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