FX and BBC One Partner on New Adaption of Charles Dickens’ Classic

A Christmas Carol

The Three-Part Adaptation, Written by Steven Knight and Directed by Nick Murphy, Will Be Produced by FX Productions in Association with the BBC, Scott Free, and Hardy Son & Baker

Guy Pearce Stars as Ebenezer Scrooge Alongside an Outstanding Ensemble Cast Featuring Andy Serkis, Stephen Graham, Charlotte Riley, Joe Alwyn, Vinette Robinson, Rutger Hauer, Kayvan Novak and Lenny Rush

A Christmas Carol Premieres in December and Is the First in a Series of New Adaptions of Dickens’ Classic Novels Produced by Scott Free, Hardy Son & Baker, BBC and FXP

LOS ANGELES and LONDON, May 9, 2019 – FX and BBC One are re-teaming with Ridley Scott’s Scott Free and Tom Hardy’s Hardy Son & Baker on a new three-part special of Charles Dickens’ timeless classic A Christmas Carol, it was announced by Eric Schrier and Nick Grad, Presidents of Original Programming, FX Networks and FX Productions, and Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama. 

A Christmas Carol features a star-studded ensemble cast including Guy Pearce (Mary Queen of Scots) playing Ebenezer Scrooge; Andy Serkis (Black Panther) as Ghost of Christmas Past; Stephen Graham (This Is England) as Jacob Marley; Charlotte Riley (Peaky Blinders) as Lottie; Joe Alwyn (The Favourite) as Bob Cratchit; Vinette Robinson (Doctor Who) as Mary Cratchit; Rutger Hauer (True Blood) as the Ghost of Christmas Future; Kayvan Novak (What We Do In The Shadows) as Ali Baba and Lenny Rush (Old Boys) as Tim Cratchit.

Produced by FX Productions, Scott Free, and Hardy Son & Baker for BBC One and FX, A Christmas Carol is a unique and original take on the Charles Dickens’ iconic ghost story written by Steven Knight (Taboo, Peaky Blinders) and a haunting, hallucinatory, spine-tingling immersion into Scrooge’s dark night of the soul. It will be directed by Nick Murphy (The Awakening).

Knight said, “This production of A Christmas Carol will respectfully present what we believe to be a timely interpretation of a timeless story.”

A Christmas Carol is written and executive produced by Steven Knight, executive produced by Tom Hardy, Ridley Scott, Dean Baker, David W. Zucker, Kate Crowe and Mona Qureshi for the BBC, and produced by Julian Stevens.

“We are incredibly proud to join the BBC in this latest creative venture, which builds on our expansive programming partnership to bring the best in television to audiences in the U.S. and U.K.,” said Schrier. “Charles Dickens’ classics, including A Christmas Carol, are timeless tales that have been reimagined generation after generation. We couldn’t imagine a better team to undertake this enormous task than Steven Knight, Tom Hardy, Ridley Scott, and their formidable production companies.”  

Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama added, “We’re incredibly excited that filming has begun on Steve Knight’s brilliant interpretation of A Christmas Carol, with Nick Murphy directing a phenomenal cast in what promises to be an iconic version of the classic tale.”

A Christmas Carol is the first in a series of adaptions of Dickens’ novels, commissioned by Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama, and Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content, that will air in the next few years.  

A Christmas Carol, slated to air in December on FX in the US, is the latest collaboration between the two broadcasters and the creative team behind the acclaimed drama series Taboo.