British actors Antonia Thomas and Regé-Jean Page have landed the female and male lead roles in the ABC drama pilot "Spark," which hails from writer Michael Cooney, and is described by the network as a "lavish" drama series of "passion, greed and hope," set in an alternate Steampunk reality where gas and coal fuel the world.

At the center of the drama is the battle for power between two rival families, and the rebellious, smart young woman (played by Antonia Thomas) with a "spark" of invention (electricity) that could smooth out relations between both empires.

Regé-Jean will play the charismatic youngest son of the powerful Lavelle family (one of the rival empires), who are industrial natural gas titans with control of half the city, and who are constantly working to undermine the coal interests their opponent’s rule over.

Needless to say, I’m certainly intrigued. A "lavish" TV series set in an alternate Steampunk universe starring 2 leads of African descent isn’t exactly something we see everyday. And I love the original premise. Now let’s see how it’s executed. 

Should "Spark" be ordered to full regular series, it’ll mark the American TV series debuts for both actors (although Page has a role in the upcoming "Roots" mini-series reboot which premieres this spring).

"Spark" producers are Ian Sander & Kim Moses. Writer Michael Cooney executive produces Spark with Sander and Moses.