MGM+ Acquires a new adaptation of "A Tale of Two Cities" starring Kit Harington, François Civil and Mirren Mack

Federation Stories teams with Kit Harington and Daniel West's production label, Thriker Films, and Federation Studio France on an exciting new adaptation of Dickens' classic novel A Tale of Two Cities for MGM+ and the BBC.

CULVER CITY, California - September 17, 2025, Today, premium linear channel and streaming service MGM+ announced the acquisition of Federation Stories, Thriker Films and Federation Studio France's new four-part drama adaptation of Charles Dickens' literary classic, A Tale Of Two Cities, set to air on MGM+ in the US and the BBC in the UK.

The four-part limited series stars Kit Harington (Industry, Game of Thrones), François Civil (Beating Hearts, The Three Musketeers) and Mirren Mack (Miss Austen, Hedda) with Hong Khaou directing (Mr Loverman, Lilting, Alice & Jack) and Daniel West (Gunpowder, Top Boy) writing. Shooting will commence in October.

London, 1782. Tensions run high in the war between France and Britain. A young woman, Lucie Manette, (Mirren Mack) has her life upended when she receives a message from Paris - her father, assumed dead for almost 20 years, may be alive. The messenger - idealistic French emigré, Charles Darnay (François Civil) - is arrested and charged with treason. Lucie enlists the help of a brilliant but erratic young lawyer, Sydney Carton (Kit Harington), to free Darnay in the hope he will lead her to Paris to track down her father. Lucie's collision with Darnay and Carton unleashes a powerful and complex love triangle. Both men fight to be worthy of her love and Lucie is torn over which one to choose. 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.

The Executive Producers are Polly Williams and Sarah Best for Federation Stories, Léo Becker for Federation Studio France, Kit Harington and Daniel West for Thriker Films. Simon Meyers (I May Destroy You) will produce.

Michael Wright, Head of MGM+, "We're truly thrilled at the opportunity to bring A Tale of Two Cities to our viewers. With its exceptional cast led by Kit Harington, François Civil, and Mirren Mack, combined with Hong Khaou's visionary direction, this collaboration with Federation Stories, Thriker Films, and Federation Studio France perfectly aligns with our commitment to deliver entertaining, cinematic, classic Hollywood storytelling for a contemporary audience."

Polly Williams, Executive Producer and Managing Director, Federation Stories, said, "In an era of worldwide turbulence, confusion and uncertainty, A Tale of Two Cities is a very timely story. We hope Dan's wonderful adaptation will surprise new audiences whilst delighting classic Dickens fans. Kit and Dan are a dynamic team who have a long-held passion for this amazing story, and it has been a joy to work with them and the brilliant Hong to realize it for TV. We are so excited that Kit, François and Mirren will lead this piece and play out a very modern and intriguing love story. "

Kit Harington, Executive Producer, Thriker Films and Daniel West Executive Producer and screenwriter added, "We could not be more thrilled to be working with Polly, Sarah, Leo and the team at Federation to bring Dickens' revolutionary epic to the screen. A Tale of Two Cities is the original historical blockbuster - a heartbreaking romance and a brutal revenge mystery, all set against the iconic backdrop of the French Revolution. Our adaptation will be a twisting period thriller; one with a contemporary, volatile love triangle at its heart. We can't wait to share it with audiences in 2026.'

Sue Deeks, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition, says, "It has been many years since the last television adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities, and we couldn't have a more perfect creative team ready to bring a new audience to one of the most intense, romantic and thrilling stories of all time."

Produced by Federation Stories, in co-production with Federation Studio France and Thriker Films, for MGM+ and the BBC. The series will be distributed by Federation International.

About Federation Stories:

Polly Williams set up London-based Federation Stories in partnership with Federation Studios three years ago to produce ambitious, commercial drama for TV and film with global appeal. Their recent shows include I, Jack Wright, an original family crime drama by Chris Lang (Unforgotten) for BBC, UKTV, Britbox and YLE and Miss Austen starring Keeley Hawes for BBC and Masterpiece, which they co-produced with Bonnie Productions. Federation Stories runs a large slate of scripted TV and film with prestige writers and creators and has developments with broadcasters in the UK, the US and Europe.

About Thriker Films:

Thriker Films is jointly led by Kit Harington (Game of Thrones, Industry) and Daniel West (Top Boy). Together, they co-created and co-executive produced the critically acclaimed Gunpowder for BBC One and HBO, starring Kit himself, Mark Gatiss and Liv Tyler. They continue to develop a wide slate of projects for film and television across the UK and internationally.

About Federation Studios:

Run by founder Pascal Breton and co-led by Lionel Uzan and Marco Chimenz, Federation Studios federates 35 production companies located in Paris, Los Angeles, Rome, Madrid, London, Berlin, Cologne and Tel-Aviv.

Federation International, the strong distribution arm of the company, has been building up a rich lineup, mixing in-house and third-party premium content. Its portfolio includes major award-winning and international successes such as The Bureau, In Treatment, Around the World in 80 Days, Find me in Paris, Bardot, Sherlock & Daughter, I, Jack Wright, Mediterranean, and Simon Super Rabbit.

About MGM+:

MGM+, an Amazon company, is a premium linear channel and streaming service delivering a broad lineup of exclusive original series and docuseries, current movie releases, and classic film franchises - all available in the U.S. on TV, on-demand, online, and across devices. MGM+ is a destination for premium content, with original series including sci-fi horror series FROM, Emmy-winning Godfather of Harlem, the Western adventure Billy the Kid, horror thriller The Institute, and the upcoming romantic adventure Robin Hood, along with cinematic dramatic series Rogue Heroes, Belgravia, and War of the Worlds. The network is also the home of acclaimed docuseries, including the critically acclaimed In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon, Emmy-nominated Laurel Canyon, My Life as a Rolling Stone, NFL Icons, Hollywood Black, and The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood. Premium movies are also available, including Gladiator II, Nickel Boys, Blink Twice, Challengers, IF, Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning, The Beekeeper, American Fiction, and Mean Girls.

MGM+ is available nationwide through cable, telco, satellite, digital distribution channels and the MGM+ app. For more information about the current MGM+ lineup, go to www.mgmplus.com or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube.