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British actor and Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons will play the abba Faria in The Count of Monte Cristo, an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' novel and a co-production of France and Italy.

"Jeremy Irons played the key role of Abbé Faria in his third collaboration with Bile August," the Danish director who won the Palme d'Or at the 1988 and 1992 Cannes Film Festival.

The main role is played by the British Sam Claflin. French actress Ana Girardeau is also part of the cast.

A new edition of The Count of Monte Cristo in two volumes is now in bookstores.

The start of this European series, which will be eight episodes of 52 minutes each, was announced in October. It is produced by the French public broadcasting group France Television, Rai (Italy) and two companies of the Mediaouane group.

Published in 1844, The Count of Monte Cristo tells the story of Edmond Dantes, who is unjustly imprisoned and takes revenge after escaping from prison and getting rich.

The novel has been the subject of numerous film and television adaptations, including one of them in 1998 for TEF 1, with Gerard Depardieu in the title role.

In cinema, French actor Pierre Ninet will play the Count of Monte Cristo in a film scheduled to premiere in 2024.

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The Count of Monte Cristo

Jeremy Irons