MGM+ is bringing one of Charles Dickens’ most enduring stories back to the screen with A Tale of Two Cities, a new historical drama series centered on love, sacrifice, revolution and redemption.
The newly released official trailer offers a glimpse at a sweeping adaptation set against the growing tensions between Britain and France, with Kit Harington, François Civil and Mirren Mack leading the cast.
A New Take on a Dickens Classic
Based on Dickens’ beloved novel, A Tale of Two Cities explores the lives of three people whose fates become intertwined as political unrest threatens to tear apart the world around them.
The series moves between London and Paris in 1782, as tensions rise during the conflict between France and Britain. At the center of the story is Lucie Manette, a young woman whose life changes dramatically when she learns that her father, believed to have been dead for nearly two decades, may actually still be alive.
Her search for the truth brings her into contact with Charles Darnay, a French émigré accused of treason, and Sydney Carton, an exceptionally talented but troubled young lawyer.
Plot
Lucie Manette receives devastating news that her father may still be alive in Paris. Determined to find him, she becomes involved in the case of Charles Darnay after the young Frenchman is arrested and charged with treason.
Lucie turns to Sydney Carton for help. Brilliant but unpredictable, Carton agrees to defend Darnay, setting in motion a relationship that will change all three of their lives.
As Lucie grows closer to both men, an intense love triangle develops. Darnay and Carton may look remarkably alike, but their personalities and outlooks could not be more different.
Their intertwined destinies eventually take them from the relative calm of London into the violence and upheaval of the French Revolution, where love, loyalty and sacrifice take on much greater meaning.
Cast
The series stars:
- Kit Harington as Sydney Carton
- François Civil as Charles Darnay
- Mirren Mack as Lucie Manette
Harington takes on one of Dickens’ most fascinating characters in Sydney Carton, a man whose intelligence is matched by his personal struggles and complicated feelings for Lucie.
Creators
A Tale of Two Cities is created by Daniel West, who brings Dickens’ classic story to television in a new serialized format.
The series is based on the novel by Charles Dickens, whose 1859 work has remained one of the most widely read novels in English literature.
A Story About Love, Revolution and Sacrifice
While A Tale of Two Cities is remembered for its famous historical setting and its depiction of the French Revolution, the emotional heart of the story is much more intimate.
At its core, this is a story about three people caught between love and duty, with Lucie at the center of an increasingly complicated relationship between Darnay and Carton.
The backdrop of revolution gives the series an opportunity to explore larger themes of social inequality, political violence, family, identity and the extraordinary sacrifices people can make for those they love.
What to Expect From the MGM+ Series
The new series appears to be taking a sweeping approach to Dickens’ material, combining period drama with romance, political intrigue and the darker elements of the French Revolution.
For viewers who enjoy historical dramas with complicated characters and emotional stakes, A Tale of Two Cities could offer a fresh way to experience a story that has been adapted for film and television numerous times.
The relationship between Carton, Darnay and Lucie is likely to remain the central dramatic force, particularly as the two men become increasingly connected to one another despite their very different lives.
Release Date
A Tale of Two Cities premieres on MGM+ in 2026.
A Tale of Two Cities — Quick Facts
Genre: Historical Drama, Romance
Based on: A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Creator: Daniel West
Starring: Kit Harington, François Civil, Mirren Mack
Platform: MGM+
Release: 2026
