Eleanor Catton's Luminaries to be adapted into mini-series

Eleanor Catton's novel The Luminaries is being adapted into a mini-series. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Eleanor Catton's award-winning novel The Luminaries is being adapted to a BBC mini-series starring Kiwi actor Marton Csokas.

BBC Two today announced Eva Green will take on the role of Lydia Wells while Eve Hewson will play Anna Wetherell.

Csokas, known for Lord of the Rings and Into the Badlands, will join the cast as Francis Carver.

Adapted from Catton's Man-Booker Prize winning novel, the series will screen on TVNZ 1 here and BBC Two in the United Kingdom.

Set in the 19th century on New Zealand's wild West Coast, The Luminaries tells a story of love, murder and revenge as men and women travelled across the world to make their fortunes.

Catton, who is the youngest person to ever win the Man-Booker prize, has herself adapted the novel for the screen. The series will be directed by Claire McCarthy and produced by Working Title Television and Southern Lights Films.

Catton said she had "tremendous fun" working on the series and she can't wait to see the cast bring her story to life.

"Writing a novel is a solitary business, but writing for the screen is emphatically collaborative, and to see the world of The Luminaries enlarged and enriched in ways that go far beyond the scope of my own imagination has been a humbling and hugely exhilarating experience."

Csokas said he's looking forward to returning home to film the series later this year.

"It's an honour to play a part in bringing this epic New Zealand story to the screen."

Filming for the six part mini-series will take place from November in New Zealand.