Robert Harris's 'Pompeii' to get a Ridley Scott adaptation

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British author Robert Harris is set to see his bestseller Pompeii adapted for the small screen, according to an April 12 press release. Gladiator director Ridley Scott will produce the four-hour mini-series, which follows on the heels of Harris's collaboration with Roman Polanski for The Ghost Writer.

Pompeii tells the story of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, focusing on the character of Marcus Attilus, a young engineer who is sent to repair "the greatest aqueduct in the Roman Empire." Pliny the Elder is also a central character in the book, which was published in 2003 and has been translated into more than 30 languages.

The production of Pompeii the mini-series is a partnership between Sony Pictures Television, Ridley Scott's company Scott Free Television; German media company Tandem Communications, and Peace Out Productions. Broadcast and distribution information is not yet available.

"The creation of worlds - specifically those historical worlds which continue to capture the popular imagination - is what we love to do and do best. Pompeii is a strong and compelling character drama set against a backdrop of a flourishing but ultimately doomed civilization - exactly what makes great event television," said Scott.

Harris previously wrote a screenplay of Pompeii for Roman Polanski, but that project, announced at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, was cancelled due to a looming actors' strike. Polanski since directed an adaptation of Harris's thriller The Ghost; the resulting film, The Ghost Writer, was released internationally in February and is due out in the UK (as The Ghost) on April 16.