FX has landed the domestic rights to the BBC period drama Taboo, which will star Tom Hardy. The series hails from Ridley Scott and World War Z scribe Steven Knight and is the first project to come from Hardy's production company Hardy Son & Baker.

Tom HardyTom Hardy and Steven Knight prevously worked together on Locke

Taboo revolves around an adventurer who returns from Africa in 1813 to build a trade and shipping empire and seek vengeance for the death of his father. He refuses to sell the family business to the East India Company and suddenly finds himself playing a very dangerous business game. Eight episodes will go into production with a premiere date eyed for 2016.

"Tom's passion for this project, from conceiving the original idea with his father to portraying James Delaney, promises to infuse this epic story with great personal passion and credibility," said Eric Schrier, FX prexy of original programming and FX Prods.

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Knight said the East India Company would be depicted as the equivalent of "the CIA, the NSA and the biggest, baddest multinational corporation on earth." 

Previously Hardy and Knight worked together on the acclaimed indie-feature Locke and the hugely successful UK series Peaky Blinders, which recently became a big hit for Netflix in the U.S.

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"Taboo is the first major production our company, Hardy Son & Baker, is setting sail on, and it gives me great pleasure to know that we are in partnership with FX and the BBC," said Hardy. "I believe with the high standard of creative talent - with Steve Knight and Ridley Scott at the helm - and with the support and backing of these two great broadcasters, we have found the perfect home and team for Taboo."

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