Written by Toni Grisoni (Southcliffe) and Simon Maxwell (Deep State), the eight-part series will follow two families, the Marlows and the Wyatts, who have been feuding in the ‘Edgelands’ of the Thames estuary for centuries.

In the land of mudlarks, smugglers, entrepreneurs and opportunists, the two families are natural enemies with a mutual fascination.

Claire Foy stars as Evie Wyatt, who returns to the Edgelands to seek revenge for her father, lost in a firestorm 15 years ago. She soon finds herself at the centre of an age-old conflict with the Marlow clan, and gets drawn into a battle with the family’s ageing patriarch, Tom Marlow.

Combining myth and legend, parable and tragedy, Marlow will draw on ancient tales of revenge and fate in a compelling modern epic.

Claire Foy commented: “I’m delighted to be a part of this compelling thriller. Tony and Simon’s scripts are so evocative of place and redolent with atmosphere - and the twists, turns and mysteries at the heart of this drama are utterly gripping. Evie Wyatt is such a captivating, complex and beguiling character, much like the enigmatic ‘Edgelands’ which she calls home, and I can’t wait to get to step into her shoes.”

Series creators Simon Maxwell and Tony Grisoni added: “The Thames Estuary’s ‘Edgelands’ offer a unique and extraordinary world of mud, sea and infinite sky; of broken politics and dreams – the Thames mouth is at once a gateway to the world and the last wild frontier of our island existence. 

“Marlow is a uniquely homegrown saga, a character driven crime epic about where we’ve come from; who we are now; what we might become. We are thrilled to be working with the extraordinary talents of Claire Foy and, as the home for the boldest new British drama, BritBox is the perfect home for our show.”      

The series is set to go into production in autumn with additional cast announced at a later date.