RICHARD MADDEN, TIM BLAKE NELSON, MARTON CSOKAS AND CONOR LESLIE TO JOIN THE CAST OF DISCOVERY'S FIRST SCRIPTED MINI-SERIES "KLONDIKE"

(LOS ANGELES) - It was announced today that Richard Madden, Tim Blake Nelson, Marton Csokas and Conor Leslie will be joining the cast of Discovery Channel's first-ever, scripted mini-series KLONDIKE (wt).

Richard Madden will be playing the role of Bill Haskell. Madden comes to KLONDIKE after recently finishing production on the upcoming feature film "A Promise" with Rebecca Hall. Additionally, Madden can be seen reprising his starring role as Robb Stark in the third season of HBO's "Game of Thrones."

Tim Blake Nelson will be playing the role of Meekor. Nelson joins the cast of KLONDIKE after recently shooting upcoming feature film "As I Lay Dying." Nelson has had notable roles in such iconic films as "O Brother, Where Art Thou?," "Lincoln," and "The Incredible Hulk."

Martin Csokas will be playing the role of Steele. Csokas most recently starred as the male lead opposite Thandie Newton Entertainment One's upcoming drama series for DIRECTV, Rogue. Csokas just wrapped a role in Robert Rodriguez's "Sin City 2" and is about to shoot a supporting part in "The Amazing Spiderman 2." He can be seen next in Darren Aronofsky's "Noah." Csokas' previous feature work includes "The Debt" and "Alice In Wonderland" as well as "The Lord of The Rings" trilogy.

Conor Leslie will be playing the role of Sabine. Leslie comes to KLONDIKE after recently finishing production on the upcoming film "Parts Per Billion." Recent projects include roles on "90210," "No Ordinary Family" and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent."

The mini-series, previously announced last year, is based on Charlotte Gray's book Gold Diggers: Striking It Rich in the Klondike, and brings to life the tale about six strangers and their collective fight for survival and wealth in a small, frontier town in the remote Klondike. KLONDIKE is a co-production between Discovery, Entertainment One (eOne), and Nomadic Pictures, in association with Scott Free Productions. International distribution is handled by eOne Television. Paul Scheuring ("Prison Break," "A Man Apart") is the primary writer and will serve as Executive Producer, along with Ridley Scott and David W. Zucker; as well as John Morayniss and Michael Rosenberg for eOne. Eileen O'Neill and Dolores Gavin will serve as Executive Producers for Discovery.

KLONDIKE follows the lives of two childhood best friends, Bill and Epstein, in the late 1890s as they undertake the next, gold rush capital in the untamed Yukon Territory. This man-versus-nature tale places our heroes in a land full of undiscovered wealth, but ravaged by harsh conditions, unpredictable weather and desperate, dangerous characters including greedy businessmen, seductive courtesans and native tribes witnessing the destruction of their people and land by opportunistic entrepreneurs.

Production begins in March 2013 under the direction of Simon Cellan Jones ("Generation Kill,", "Treme") on location in Alberta, Canada. The series will be produced with assistance of the Government of Alberta, Alberta Film Development Program.