Prime Video has reportedly acquired rights in most European territories to “Independence Day” director Roland Emmerich’s Ancient Roman gladiator drama series “Those About to Die”.
Emmerich and Marco Kreuzpaintner will split directing duties on the ten-episode first season of the drama inspired by Daniel P. Mannix’s nonfiction book and adapted by Oscar-winning screenwriter Robert Rodat.
The series will debut on Peacock in the United States and will air exclusively on Prime Video in Germany, the U.K., France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Ireland, Poland, Turkey, Andorra, Monaco, Luxembourg and Belgium.
The story unfolds in Rome in 79 A.D. The Roman population – bored, restless and increasingly violent – is kept in line mainly by two things: free food and spectacular entertainment in the form of chariot racing and gladiator fights.
The series delves into the world of the games – a world characterized by bloodlust, greed and corruption surrounding the races at Circus Maximus, controlled by four patrician-run factions.
As the taste in the entertainment of the populace becomes more jaded and bloodthirsty, a specially designed stadium for gladiatorial combat is needed – the Colosseum. The scale of the stadium as well as the gladiatorial and animal combats, is enormous. Meanwhile, the criminal underworld is flourishing, fueled by gambling.
The show stars Anthony Hopkins as Emperor Vespasian, Iwan Rheon, Tom Hughes, Rupert Penry-Jones, Sara Martins, Gabriella Pession, Liraz Charhi and Johannes Haukur Johannesson. AGC Studios holds rights for the rest of the world to the series.
Source: THR
