It has been billed as the most ambitious drama in the BBC’s 93-year history, so it will come as no surprise that BBC Worldwide is putting War And Peace at the heart of its Mipcom plans.

war-and-peace

Distributors BBC Worldwide; The Weinstein Company
Producer BBC Wales
Length 6 x 60 minutes
Country UK

It has been billed as the most ambitious drama in the BBC’s 93-year history, so it will come as no surprise that BBC Worldwide is putting War And Peace at the heart of its Mipcom plans. The distributor will launch the series in Cannes and hopes it will be a big draw as it looks to capitalise on the booming market for scripted content.

The six-part adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s novel will air in the UK next year after being commissioned in early 2013 by then BBC1 controller Danny Cohen and Ben Stephenson, the corporation’s former drama boss.

The last time the BBC tackled War And Peace was as a 20-part series back in 1972. The latest adaptation has been handed to Andrew Davies, the man behind the BBC’s classic reimagining of Pride And Prejudice in 1995.

It is produced by BBC Wales, while BBCW partner Lookout Point will be at the forefront of the sales push. “We want to raise the bar and compete at the highest end of the sector. I’d like us take this on with the scale and ambition with which HBO approached Band Of Brothers,” says Lookout Point chief executive Simon Vaughan.

The Weinstein Company came on board in October 2013 to handle distribution of the mini-series in the US, Canada and China. It is being made available in its original 6 x 60-minute format, as well as an 8 x 44-minute version.

Tolstoy’s book centres on Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in 1812 and is set around three central characters, who have become some of the most iconic in literary history.

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