The 'Inception' star will portray an 18th century adventurer who builds his own trade and shipping empire against East India Company.
- Apr 4, 2014
AceShowbiz - Tom Hardy is going to star in an eight-part miniseries titled "Taboo". In this project, the actor will reunite with his "Locke" director and screenwriter Steven Knight as well as "Child 44" producer Ridley Scott.
Knight wrote the drama based on an original story by Hardy and his father Chips Hardy. Per Variety, it is set in 1813 when James Keziah Delaney (Hardy), a rogue adventurer, returns from Africa with 14 ill-gotten diamonds to seek vengeance after the death of his father. Refusing to sell the family business to the East India Company, he sets out to build his own trade and shipping empire, and finds himself playing a dangerous game with two warring nations, Britain and America.
"This man, James Delaney, is a deeply flawed and deeply troubled human-being. His greatest struggle will be against the East India Company which, throughout the 19th century, was the equivalent of the CIA, the NSA and the biggest, baddest multi-national corporation on earth, all rolled into one self righteous, religiously motivated monolith," Knight said.
"We're creating a flagship British drama for this generation," Hardy said. "A hybrid of orthodox and unconventional story telling, packed with darkness and spirited characters." Scott chimed in, "This is a period in British history where the rising power of the empire seeped into every dark corner. Tom and Steven have created a fantastic world in which Tom's character James will become iconic."
Scott's Scott Free London and Hardy's Hardy Son & Baker are producing the project for BBC One and Sonar Entertainment. The series will be distributed outside U.K. by Sonar. Shooting will begin in the U.K. in January 2015.
