Liv Tyler and Kit Harrington to star in BBC miniseries 'Gunpowder'

Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Game of Thrones heartthrob Kit Harrington, Sherlock scene-stealer Mark Gattis and The Lord of the Rings icon Liv Tyler are to star in the 17th century-set thriller Gunpowder, the BBC announced.

The three-part, historical drama about the failed assassination attempt against King James I of England was written by Ronan Bennett and will be directed by J. Blakeson. It will also feature Peter Mullan.

"The Gunpowder Plot is one of the best-known stories in Britain and most people are aware of the basic facts," Diederick Santer, chief executive officer of the production company Kudos, said in a statement. "But what Ronan has achieved with his page-turning script, and what I hope Kit and Peter and the rest of the magnificent cast will do, is to take the BBC One audience behind the story, into the people, the passion and the politics.This will be a hugely engaging drama with a fascinating contemporary resonance, showing the consequences of what can happen when a religious minority is persecuted."

"Ronan Bennett's powerful script tells the visceral and resonant story behind the Gunpowder Plot and I couldn't be more delighted that J. Blakeson is onboard to direct and that Kit Harington, Peter Mullan, Mark Gatiss and Liv Tyler will star. Gunpowder will be unmissable event television," added Piers Wenger, BBC controller of drama commissioning.