Those About to Diethe series created by the Oscar-nominated screenwriter for Saving Private Ryanand directed by Roland Emmerich (Moonfall, Independence Day, Godzilla), already has a release date and it will be just one day after its release on Peacock in the United States. The ten episodes will premiere exclusively on Prime Video Spain on August 9.
Starring Sir Anthony Hopkins and inspired by the non-fiction book of the same name written by Daniel P. Mannixthe series delves into the “spectacular, complex and corrupt world of chariot races and gladiator fights in ancient Rome,” according to the official synopsis.
Panem et Circenses – Bread and circuses, Rome, 79 AD: The center of the Roman Empire is the richest city in the world, and there is a large influx of slave workers from the growing empire to handle the work. The bored, restless, and increasingly violent Roman population is kept in check by two things: free food and spectacular entertainment, in the form of chariot races and gladiator fights.
[Así es ‘Materia oscura’, la serie de ciencia ficción sobre universos paralelos que será nuestra nueva obsesión]
Those About to Die investigate the world of games, a world characterized by bloodlust, greed for money, lust for power, and corruption. The races in the Circus Maximus are controlled by four authorities owned by the aristocracy, the Blue, Red, White and Green factions, and the actions of those factions are the most valuable in Rome.
When the people’s taste for entertainment becomes more bloodthirsty, a stadium will be designed especially for gladiator combats: the Colisseum. The scale of the stadium and the fights between gladiators and animals will be enormous, as will the underworld of the burgeoning betting business.
The winner of two Oscars Sir Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs, King Lear) plays Emperor Vespasian, next to him are Iwan Rheon (Game of Thrones) as Tenax; Tom Hughes (The English, Victoria) as Titus Flavius; Sara Martins (Don’t tell anyone, Crime in paradise) as Cala, and Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson (Game of Thrones) as Viggo.
Jojo Macari (Sex Education) as Domitian; Gabriella Pession (Crossing Lines) as Antonia; Dimitri Leonidas (Rosewater, Forsaken) like Scorpio; Emilio Sakraya (60 minutes, Pure Gold – Rheingold, 4 Blocks) like Zeno; Moe Hashim (Ted Lasso) as Kwame and Rupert Penry Jones (Whitechapel) like Marsus, among others.
Those About to Die is created by Oscar nominee Robert Rodat (The Patriot, Saving Private Ryan) and directed by Roland Emmerich together with Marco Kreuzpaintner (Beat, The Lazarus Project).
