‘Gunpowder’ Starring Kit Harington Premiere Date Announced

HBO has confirmed the air dates for the upcoming miniseries, Gunpowder, starring Game of ThronesKit Harington. The three-part series will premiere on Monday, December 18, 2017 at 10pm ET/PT, with parts two and three airing over the following two nights. In addition to starring in the thriller, Kit Harington serves as a co-executive producer.

Harington actually plays a character he’s related to in the series. Peter Mullan (Quarry), Mark Gatiss (Sherlock), and Liv Tyler (The Leftovers) also star in the series based on the real story of the events leading up to Guy Fawkes Day. Ronan Bennett (Top Boy) wrote the series and J Blakeson (The Disappearance of Alice Creed) directed.

“We are delighted to offer a platform for a project that is so close to Kit Harington’s heart,” said Kary Antholis, president, HBO Miniseries and CINEMAX Programming. “Kit’s passion for and belief in Gunpowder are evident in every frame of the miniseries.”

“Three years ago, Daniel West and I conceived and began developing Gunpowder with Kudos and Ronan Bennett,” added Harington. “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.”

“We are thrilled that HBO has come on board as our U.S. partner for this outstanding miniseries,” stated Cathy Payne, chief executive, Endemol Shine International. “It is a testament to the producers Kudos and Thriker Films and the amazing cast.”

The Plot: Originally commissioned by BBC One in the U.K., Gunpowder stars Kit Harington as Robert Catesby, who was the driving force behind the Gunpowder Plot in 1605 London. A committed Catholic at a time when Protestant England persecutes Catholics relentlessly, Catesby’s refusal to abandon his religion brings him to the edge of financial, social and psychological ruin. Mark Gatiss plays Robert Cecil, King James’ spymaster, who directs efforts to hunt down, torture and kill priests, while rank-and-file Catholics are subject to oppression and the loss of their property.

Peter Mullan portrays head Jesuit Father Garnet, whose peaceful protestations have little effect on Catesby. Liv Tyler plays Catesby’s astute and capable cousin, Anne Vaux, who becomes suspicious about his activities and fears the consequences will be the exact opposite of what Catesby intends. Gunpowder chronicles the evolution of the plot, the selection of collaborators to carry it out, the gathering of resources and the obstacles to its execution, even as Catesby’s team plays a deadly cat and mouse game with Cecil’s ruthless spy network.

Also starring in Gunpowder are Edward Holcroft (Kingsman: The Golden Circle), Shaun Dooley (Broadchurch), Tom Cullen (Downton Abbey), Robert Emms (War Horse), Derek Riddell (The Missing), Sian Webber (EastEnders), David Bamber (HBO’s Rome) and Kevin Eldon (Game of Thrones).

Kit Harington stars in Gunpowder
Kit Harington stars in ‘Gunpowder’ (Photo by Robert Viglasky / HBO)