EXPRESS.CO.UK – The White Queen star – and son of Jeremy Irons – Max will play young British archaeologist Howard Carter, alongside Peaky Blinders star Neill as British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon in Tutankhamun.

Set in the early 1900s the four-part mini series tells the true story of archaeologist Howard’s quest to uncover the tomb of Ancient Egypt’s legendary forgotten pharaoh.

After taking too many risks in his determination to uncover the last resting place of “the boy king” the explorer had his licence to dig revoked by Cairo’s Antiquities Service, and found himself destitute.

Howard spends years ostracised, dishevelled and living rough and resorting to selling previously discovered archaeological relics to buy food.

But a chance meeting with wealthy amateur archaeologist Lord Carnarvon, spawned an unlikely friendship and won Howard the financial backing to fulfill his dreams.

After years of searching for the tomb, Howard and Carnarvon successfully discover the last resting place of the boy-king in 1921 against all odds and at great personal expense.

The drama – written by Guy Burt, whose previous credits include The Bletchley Circle and The Borgias – is to be filmed on location South Africa from mid October.

Details of further casting will be announced closer to the commencement of filming.

A tagline for the drama reads: “The past isn’t a game. It tells us who we were, and who we are.

“It’s all of human endeavour and truth and beauty hidden and waiting to be discovered.”