BBC America to Produce Three Musketeers Miniseries

BBC America is just a few weeks away from premiering its first original series, Copper, and already it's adding another scripted offering to its plate. The network, which typically syndicates British programming, will be producing an adaptation of the classic novel The Three Musketeers, it was announced on Wednesday.

The series isn't expected to premiere until 2014, but a writer has already been attached. Adrian Hodges, co-creator of the British sci-fi series Primeval, is slated to pen all ten episodes of the apparent miniseries, which will be a "fresh and contemporary take" on the Alexandre Dumas novel. Don't worry, though -- it will still be set in the 1600s.

Hodges, in addition to co-creating Primeval, has written for HBO's Rome, and co-created the BBC series Survivors. He receieved critical acclaim for writing the 2011 film My Week with Marilyn, which he adapted from books by Colin Clark.

New York Magazine's Vulture was cynical about the new show's announcement, wondering if anyone needs or wants another "sword show." But hey, I'm always open to adapting classic literature to screen. In any case, it almost certainly has to be better than the abysmal Paul W.S. Anderson-directed mess of an adaptation.

If the series is a success, it doesn't seem too unlikely that BBC America will follow it up with a similarly limited run adaptation of Dumas's sequel, The Man in the Iron Mask.

Copper will premiere on BBC America on August 19. Will you be tuning in? Will you watch The Three Musketeers series? Let us know!