BBC cast THE MUSKETEERS

clockwise: Tom Burke, Luke Pasqualino,
Howard Charles & Santiago Cabrera

The BBC have already started work on their replacement for Merlin, the adventure series Atlantis, but they're also working on The Musketeers—a ten-part drama based on Alexandre Dumas's classic novel The Three Musketeers, adapted by Primeval creator Adrian Hodges.

The casting's already started coming together, with the musketeers played by Merlin's Santiago Cabrera (Aramis), The Hour's Tom Burke (Athos) and Howard Charles (Porthos). They're be joined by hero D'Artagnan (Skins's Luke Pasqualino), creepy Cardinal Richlieu (The Thick of It's Peter Capaldi), and actors such as Tamla Kari (Cuckoo), Maimie McCoy (Wallander) and Hugo Speer (Bedlam).

Speaking about his new show, Hodges said he's "thrilled to be working with such a dynamic, talented and attractive ensemble cast" and that the show is "all about passion, romance, heroism and action, and I can't think of a better group of actors to embody those diverse qualities."

BBC Drama Controller Ben Stephenson added that "the ambition of this drama is clearly illustrated with such a world class mix of talent—the perfect team to take the audience on thrilling action adventures every week."

The Musketeers will broadcast in 2014, with filming beginning this April. I'm guessing it will plug the Saturday night gap when Doctor Who and Atlantis are off-air, so perhaps next winter or summer?