'The Count of Monte Cristo' Will Take Revenge on PBS in 2026

Masterpiece is returning to its literary roots, announcing that the new French-made adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo starring Sam Claflin (Enola Holmes) will air next year. Though its author, Alexandre Dumas, is likely more famous for his other adventure novels, such as The Three Musketeers and The Man in the Iron Mask, it is The Count of Monte Cristo that’s his most personal work; a rich and satisfying story that will appeal to anyone who has ever been deeply wronged by someone they trusted.

Set during the Bourbon Restoration in early nineteenth-century France, the sprawling story follows Edmond Dantès, a kind and well-liked young sailor who wants nothing more than to marry his fiancée Mercédès. But when he is betrayed by friends who are jealous of his successes, he finds himself falsely accused of treason, arrested, and imprisoned without trial in the grim island fortress known as the Château d’If. He spends many years in captivity before finally escaping, assuming the identity of the Count of Monte Cristo with the help of a hidden treasure, and setting his sights on getting revenge against all those who wrongly accused him.

A novel that emphasizes themes of hope, mercy, and persistence in the face of adversity, The Count of Monte Cristo is the blueprint for virtually every revenge fantasy published since its release. (It’s a book that contains multitudes, what can I say?) But what you might not know is that Dumas based his famous tale at least in part on the real-life injustice suffered by his father at the hands of Napoleon. 

The son of a French count and a Black enslaved woman, the elder Alexandre Dumas was born in Haiti in 1762. Since the French empire offered legal protection to mixed-race people during that era, he was taken to France at a young age and later enlisted in the army, where he ultimately became the first and highest-ranking Black leader in the French military. He served as a general in the Revolutionary Army, winning battle after battle and earning the nickname "Black Devil." 

But his many successes made Napoleon nervous — Dumas was seen as quite charismatic and popular — and although the two had once fought together, the future emperor left Dumas to rot in prison after he was captured in Naples. Though the elder Alexandre was released several years later, he never recovered from his imprisonment (he was left partially paralyzed, blind in one eye, and temporarily deaf). He died of stomach cancer before his son had even turned four years old. But young Alexandre, who grew up hearing his mother's stories of both his father's bravery and the great wrong that was done him, went on to immortalize him in fiction.

Here's the synopsis for The Count of Monte Cristo:

The Count of Monte Cristo is a lushly lensed adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ iconic masterpiece. In the epic series, Edmond Dantes, a nineteen-year-old sailor who was falsely accused of treason and is imprisoned without trial in the Château d’If, a grim island fortress off Marseille, France. After many years of captivity, he finally escapes and discovers treasure, making him one of the richest men in the world. Under the identity of the Count of Monte Cristo, he plans to take revenge on those who wrongly accused him.

The TV series stars Claflin, plus a cast that PBS viewers will recognize, including Jeremy Irons (The Hollow Crown), Blake Ritson (The Gilded Age), Mikkel Følsgaard (Dicte), Karla-Simone Spence (The Confessions of Frannie Langton), Harry Taurasi (The Borgias), and Ana Girardot (The Returned).

Writers Greg Latter (Cold Harvest) and Sandro Petraglia (A Professor) adapted the series from the Alexandre Dumas novel, with Ofelia Catanea and Anna Zagaglia credited as story editors. Director Bille August (A War of Their Own) helmed all eight installments.  The series was produced by Palomar and DEMD Productions, two Mediawan companies, and distributed worldwide by MediawanRights in cooperation with CAA (for North America) and with the participation of Entourage Ventures.

The Count of Monte Cristo will premiere on most PBS stations, the PBS app, and the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel at a still-to-be-determined date in 2026.