Watch the first trailer for BBC1's epic new drama War & Peace

Here’s a first glimpse of a major new drama on BBC1 – an adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s epic novel War & Peace.

The first trailer for the landmark series can be seen tonight (Sunday 1 November) on BBC1 at 9.00pm, but you can watch it here…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXx1l_bI6ys

Widely regarded as one of the greatest novels of all time, War and Peace will be told over six one-hour episodes. It is written by prolific TV writer Andrew Davies , whose credits include Pride and Prejudice, Vanity Fair and House Of Cards, and is directed by Tom Harper, who’s previously worked on Peaky Blinders.

Shot on location in Russia, Latvia and Lithuania, it bring the classic tale to life for a modern audience on a truly epic scale with Paul Dano (12 Years a Slave), Downton Abbey’s Lily James and Happy Valley actor James Norton leading the cast as Pierre, Natasha and Andrei. They are joined by a host of famous names such as Jim Broadbent, Gillian Anderson, Kenneth Cranham, Aneurin Barnard, Brian Cox, Ken Stott, Stephen Rea and Ade Edmondson.

Talking about the drama, Andrew Davies says: “When I came to War & Peace for the first time, rather late in life, I was struck by how fresh and modern the characters and relationships felt. It's a story of the hopes and dreams of youth, set against the titanic background of the Napoleonic wars. Three characters at the centre: Pierre, the bumbling, chaotic idealist; Prince Andrei, whose cool Darcy-like exterior conceals huge emotional conflict; and Natasha Rostova, possibly the most appealing heroine in literature. These three are surrounded by a gallery of unforgettable characters - we get love, friendship, huge swings of fortune, betrayals, tragedy, and a surprising amount of comedy too."

War & Peace will air on BBC1 this winter.