So, as Porthos, Athos, Aramis and D'Artagnan prepare for yet another cinematic outing (and to date there have been no fewer than 36 variations of the tale on the big screen, on television and in animation mode), we bring you up to speed on the dashing trio who take the young D'Artagnan under their wing and their villainous enemies who'll stop at nothing to destroy this legendary band of brothers…
D'Artagnan
Played by Logan Lerman
The youthful, good-hearted daredevil, D'Artagnan, is actually based on a real person, although Musketeers author, Alexandre Dumas, was liberal with the poetic licence. Charles Ogier de Batz de Castelmore, Comte d'Artagnan served French King, Louis XIV as Captain of the Musketeers of the Guard, dying at the age of 62 at the Siege of Maastricht during the Franco-Dutch War of the 1670s. D'Artagnan meets the Musketeers when, during three individual encounters with the older Porthos, Athos and Aramis, he ends up challenged to three duels. When the treacherous Cardinal Richelieu's guards attack the foursome, they unite, fight, then flee, with the Musketeers quickly co-opting the brave young man into their gang.
Porthos
Played by Ray Stevenson
Porthos is also said to be based on a real man, the Musketeer Isaac de Porthau who lived from 1617 to 1712 and was the cousin of another Musketeer, Armand d'Athos - the inspiration for Athos. Owner of the sword, nicknamed Balizarde, Porthos, Baron du Vallon de Bracieux de Pierrefonds is essentially the party-loving extrovert of the three, enjoying wine, women and raucous get-togethers at every opportunity. He is also the group's raconteur. And because he becomes renowned for his ever-increasing girth - thanks to his legendary eating abilities - Porthos has been played on film by the equally rotund Oliver Platt and Gerard Depardieu.
Athos
Played by Matthew MacFadyen
Athos, or to give him his full name, Oliver d'Athos de la Fere, is the oldest of the Musketeers, acting as a father figure to the young D'Artagnan. Named after the real Musketeer, Armand de Sillegue d'Athos, Athos is a secretive yet noble and handsome man who would rather drown his sorrows in drink rather than risk spilling his personal secrets to others. It is later revealed that Athos was once married to the double-crossing woman, Milady de Winter. This relationship explains his rather dark and pessimistic view of love when he tells D'Artagnan, "I say that love is a lottery in which he who wins gains death! You are very fortunate to have lost, believe me, my dear D'Artagnan. And if I have any advice to give you, it is to lose always!"
Aramis
Played by Luke Evans
Aramis too has a real man to thank for his coming to life in the pages of the novel. His character was inspired by Musketeer Henri d'Aramitz who is quite the searcher, always on the lookout for something - or someone - to satisfy his wanderlust. Joining the musketeer corps in order to lay low from the law after triumphing in a forbidden duel, Aramis is a constant hit with the ladies - having been played by the dashing likes of Richard Chamberlain, Charlie Sheen and Jermey Irons on the big screen - and is the most audacious and ambitious of the trio. Having started out wanting to become an abbé, Aramis' Machiavellian-esque social climbing never gets in the way of his friendship with Porthos and Athos, and he's the most blunt of the three, blithely reminding an enemy, "We're drunks, not fools!"
And the baddies…
Milady de Winter
Played by Milla Jovovich
Cardinal Richelieu's spy, assassin and messenger, Milady loathes her former husband, Athos, from afar, and steals the jewels Anne of Austria gives to her lover, the Duke of Buckingham, behind her husband, King Louis XIII's back, to seize the throne.
Cardinal Richelieu
Played by Christoph Waltz
With the ear of the King, Richelieu is one of the most powerful men in France and is keen to increase his power by starting a war between France and England by exposing the affair between Anne of Austria and the Duke of Buckingham.
Duke of Buckingham
Played by Orlando Bloom
Although in the Dumas novel, Buckingham - the lover of Anne of Austria - was not a baddie and was a friend of the musketeers, in the movie, Orlando crosses to the dark side, joining Richelieu in his bid to destroy the four heroes.
Rochefort
Played by Mads Mikkelsen
Another of Richelieu's agents, Rochefort is D'Artagnan's nemesis, continually just dancing out of the hot-headed youngster's grasp, and keen to bring him and his friends down.
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