Tricon Films & Television on Monday unveiled plans for The Inquisition, a 10-part mini-series, as the first project from Lewin Webb‘s newly-unwrapped scripted division.

Bruce Beresford (Black Robe) is on board to direct and executive produce the project, to be shot in Spain as an international co-production, with a minority Canadian stake.

“The show is very much in direction and design has one foot in the world of The Tudors, another in The Borgias and another in The Game of Thrones,” Webb told Playback on Monday.

“It’s a character driven, entertaining series, focused on both personal and political intrigue,” he added.

American creator Mark Schwartz first approached Webb about The Inquisition with a two-hour feature film in mind.

Webb and Schwartz eventually developed the project as a 10 one-hour mini-series based on events surrounding the formation the Spanish Inquisition.

Schwartz uses the character of Diego Altas, the royal court doctor to Queen Isabella of Aragon, and a converted Jew, to inject the power struggles of the court and the Catholic Church in 15^th century Spain with the dramatic force required of a mini-series for a global TV audience.

Webb developed The Inquisition with Media Packer’s Victor Rodriguez, a former Chum International exec, and Spanish producing partner Secundino Velasco of TOAC.

Webb, Velasco and Rodriguez will produce, with Schwartz, Beresford and Andrea Gorfolova, president of Tricon Films & Television, also to executive produce.

Tricon will handle international distribution for The Inquisition.

No word on casting, which is to include major Spanish and other European talent.

Webb will be in Los Angeles this week in a bid to line up an American broadcaster and talent for the mini-series.

Hiring Beresford, best known for his Oscar-winning film Driving Miss Daisy, and set to direct the Lifetime mini-series Bonnie and Clyde, is expected to open doors in Hollywood.

Webb said The Inquisition is the first of many scripted projects to come from the Tricon division aimed at the Canadian and international markets.