Spike TV has scored a major coup for its upcoming miniseries about Egyptian boy king Tutankhamun, getting Sir Ben Kingsley to join the cast in a pivotal role.

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As The AV Club reported on Tuesday that Kingsley has joined what Spike TV is calling the "biggest and most ambitious project" in the history of their network. Getting a legendary knighted actor is a strong start.

Kingsley will be playing Ay, the Grand Vizier for Tutankhamun, known as King Tut to most, and it will almost assuredly be a pivotal, key role. This is a fairly big departure for Spike TV, the self-described network for men. They generally tend to traffic in reality shows such as Bar Rescue and Tattoo Nightmares, as opposed to scripted fare. However, as more and more networks get into scripted programming, Spike is throwing their hat into the ring. A miniseries also limits the exposure for Spike, in case this tale of intrigue and Egyptian politics goes awry.

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A miniseries also likely helped them lock in Kingsley, who otherwise likely wouldn't lock himself into a TV show, given his movie career. Kingsley won an Oscar for portraying Gandhi in the movie of the same name, and, fittingly, he will be playing an Egyptian pharaoh in the upcoming Night at the Museum 3: Secret of the Tomb. It's a big year for Kingsley and Ancient Egypt, even if the actor is himself half-white and half-Indian. There will likely be more information on Spike's miniseries forthcoming, particularly who gets cast as King Tut, which will presumably be an important role.

Tags: television Spike TV ben kingsley King Tut