Gunpowder, Kit Harington’s passion project about his ancestor, Robert Catesby, and his involvement with the Gunpowder Treason plot, has been picked up by HBO. The miniseries, which premiered on BBC One last Saturday, will debut on HBO on December 18, and will air over the course of the following two nights.
Gunpowder is still airing on Saturdays, and is produced by Kudos of the Endemol Shine Group, in association with Thriker Films. Finding a new home at HBO is appropriate, considering the large number of cast members familiar to the channel. Among their number are Mark Gatiss (Sherlock), Peter Mullan (Quarry), Liv Tyler (The Leftovers), Kevin Eldon (Game of Thrones), and, of course, Kit Harington himself.
Katy Anthills, the president of HBO Miniseries and Cinemax programming, said, “We are delighted to offer a platform for a project that is so close to Kit Harington’s heart. Kit’s passion for and belief in Gunpowder are evident in every frame of the miniseries.”
Harington serves as a co-executive producer on the project, but his relationship to the show is much more complex than that. As a descendent of Robert Catesby, who was in many ways the mastermind behind the entire Gunpowder plot, it has become a major passion project for the Game of Thrones actor.
“Three years ago, Daniel West and I conceived and began developing Gunpowder with Kudos and Ronan Bennett,” Harington said of the project. “We are now thrilled to share this unique story with the U.S. audience. I can’t think of a better place to do that than my home at HBO.”
The series performed very well, considering its time slot, which is normally not reserved for such historical dramas.
Being acquired by HBO means that, in the United States, Gunpowder will be available on HBO on Demand, as well as HBO GO and HBO NOW.
What do you think of this news? Are you excited that you’ll get to watch Gunpowder in the US?
