JAMES NORTON, TOM RILEY, BEN CHAPLIN, ELEANOR TOMLINSON, OLIVIA WILLIAMS TO LEAD JOSS WHEDON'S VICTORIAN SF SERIES THE NEVERS FOR HBO

James Norton is Lord Hugo Swann

Earlier this week HBO has revealed the main cast for their new period set science fiction series THE NEVERS which will be headlined by two of our favourite British boys War and Peace's James Norton and Davinci's Demons'Tom Riley. Coming from Firefly and Avengers creator Joss Whedon, who will write it, direct it and produce it, it will be an epic science fiction drama about a gang of Victorian women called The Touched, who find themselves with unusual abilities, relentless enemies, and a mission that might change the world. Here's the cast:

Laura Donnelly will be Amalia True, the most reckless, impulsive, emotionally damaged hero of her time. A menace to stuffy Victorian society,

Tom Riley is Lord Augustus Bidlow

she would die for the cause and kill for a drink.

Olivia Williams is Lavinia Bidlow, a wealthy spinster and champion of the “Touched”,who funds the Orphanage (where Amalia and many of the Touched live) through her vast family fortune. She is stern and old fashioned, but as strong willed and clever as anyone she confronts.

James Norton is Hugo Swan, a pansexual posh boy whose charm has about five years left on its lease. He runs a secret club and a side trade in blackmail. He’s devoted to fulfilling everyone’s worst impression of him – and fascinated by the Touched.

Tom Riley is Augustus “Augie” Bidlow, a sweet, disarming nerd and Lavinia’s younger brother. A keen ornithologist, Augie is happy to let his older sister

Eleanor Tomlinson is Mary Brighton

take the reins of the family fortune. He finds the Touched unnerving, but is drawn to them by his increasing infatuation with Miss Adair, and by the schemes of his nefarious best friend, Hugo.

Ann Skelly is Penance Adair, Amalia’s dearest friend, and one of the first women to join her cause, a devout, yet heretically progressive, Irish girl, who has genius for invention. She is delighted by her power, and her default is love and acceptance. But she’s firm in her moral sense, and will be guided by what’s right over what’s expedient every time.

Ben Chaplin is Detective Frank Mundi, gruff, and deeply moral, he trusts no one, least of all himself: his reputation for sudden violence (and excessive drink) is not unwarranted. Frank finds

Laura Donnelly is Amalia True, the main protagonist!

himself caught between the powerful, who ignore the the laws of the land, and newly empowered, who ignore the laws of physics.

Death and Nightingales' Ann Skelley is Penance Adair

Poldark star Pip Torrens is Lord Massen – Staunch, unflappable and merciless in his defense of the British Empire, this former General, now Peer, may be the only man who sees clearly what havoc these few strange people can wreak upon the established order. Which he will protect, one way or another.

Nick Frost is Declan Orrun, aka The Beggar King, charismatic and brutal, he runs – or has a piece of – most of the low level criminal activity in the city. He’s perfectly happy to help Amalia  – and equally happy to sell them out. He backs winners, and the Touched are long odds.

 Rochelle Neil is Annie Carbey, aka Bonfire, a career criminal who landed the ability to control fire and is happy to hire it out. Came up rough, stayed

Olivia Williams is the funder of the Touched, Lady Lavinia Bidlow

that way, but she’s neither impulsive nor cruel just looking out for herself. No matter who she works with or for, Annie trusts only Annie, and the fire.

Ben Chaplin is gruff detective Frank Mundi!

Eleanor Tomlinson is Mary Brighton, gentle but surprisingly resilient, she pursued her dream of singing on stage. A disappointing career and a broken engagement haven’t diminished her spirit. She’s going to be great. She’s going to be very surprised how.

Rochelle Neil will portray firethrowing Bonfire Annie Carbey

Denis O’Hare is Dr. Edmund Hague, a gifted American surgeon who uses his skills in the coldest, most brutal way possible. But it’s all in the name of progress!