'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.