When they catch you, they will kill you… but first they must catch you. Ominous words in the first trailer for the remake of classic animated drama Watership Down.

The trailer for the Netflix and BBC One co-pro gives off an almost Game of Thrones vibe as it follows the adventure, courage and survival of a band of rabbits on their flight from the intrusion of man and the certain destruction of their home.

The series, which airs around Christmas on both the British public broadcaster and SVOD service, has an A-list cast including James McAvoy, Daniel Kaluuya, Nicholas Hoult, Ben Kingsley, John Boyega, Gemma Arterton, Rosamund Pike, Gemma Chan, Peter Capaldi, Taron Egerton, Miles Jupp, Freddie Fox, Mackenzie Crook, Olivia Colman, Anne-Marie Duff, Rory Kinnear, Tom Wilkinson, Jason Watkins, Craig Parkinson, Henry Goodman, Lee Ingleby, Charlotte Spencer and Daniel Rigby.

Set in the idyllic rural landscape of southern England, the rabbits are led by a stout-hearted pair of brothers, they journey forth from their native Sandleford Warren through the harrowing trials posed by predators and adversaries, towards a promised land and a more perfect society.

Executive producers are Rory Aitken, Josh Varney, Ben Pugh and Eleanor Moran for 42; Noam Murro for Biscuit Entertainment; Martin Rosen; and Ben Irving for BBC One. The series is produced and directed by Noam Murro, co-directed by Alan Short and Seamus Malone and produced by Georgia Dussaud and Cecil Kramer. It was adapted for the screen by Tom Bidwell (My Mad Fat Diary).