A new little clip of upcoming series ‘Leonardo‘ has appeared online, which sees ‘Poldark’ star Aidan Turner take the role of Leonardo da Vinci in a drama co-created by ‘The Man In The High Castle’s Frank Spotnitz and writer Steve Thompson (‘Sherlock’, ‘Doctor Who’).
The series is set to chart da Vinci’s achievements, not only in art, but across various other fields as well, crafting a new and original take on the acclaimed genius. The eight-episode series comes from Spotnitz alongside British writer Steve Thompson (‘Doctor Who’, ‘Deep State’, ‘Sherlock’).
The little clip, which has been released to celebrate Leonardo da Vinci’s birthday, doesn’t really a lot away. It shows Turner as Leonardo, preparing to work on famous painting The Last Supper. The clip was directed by Daniel Percival (‘Strike Back’, ‘Waking the Dead’), who previously worked with Spotnitz on ‘High Castle’, and Italian director Alexis Sweet Cahill, with musical score from composer John Paesano (‘Daredevil’, ‘Truth Be Told’).
‘Leonardo’ will be English-language, however, it is an international co-production between Lux Vide with RAI Fiction and Spotnitz’s Big Light Productions in association with France Télévisions and RTVE. Sony Pictures Television also serves as co-producer and distributor.
Alongside Turner, the series stars Freddie Highmore (‘The Good Doctor’) as a fictional young detective called Stefano Giraldi, who frames the narrative, investigating da Vinci as the suspect in a murder case and digging into his past. In addition, Matilda de Angelis (‘The Undoing’) stars as Italian noblewoman Caterina da Cremona, whilst Giancarlo Giannini (‘Catch 22’), takes the role of Italian painter/sculptor Andrea del Verrocchio.
“Capturing the character of Leonardo has been one of the most fascinating and exciting challenges of my career,” commented Spotnitz. “It’s hard to fathom that a man this extraordinary could even have existed, let alone the human impulses that drove him to achieve such extraordinary things. It’s been enormously rewarding and an absolute joy collaborating with Steve Thompson, Daniel Percival and our partners at Lux Vide and RAI to bring Leonardo to life.”
Whilst Leonardo da Vinci is known for his art, such as the Mona Lisa, he was a renowned polymath, with interests spanning areas from literature, to science, engineering, geology, mathematics and many other subjects. Not to mention his extensive inventions, which ranged from musical instruments to hydraulic pumps to mechanical knights!
“Leonardo is a captivating genius and it has been a thrill to explore his work and his character,” adds Steve Thompson. “Each of his works has a uniquely fascinating story behind its creation. I am delighted to have collaborated with Frank and our creative team to tell his extraordinary story.”
‘Leonardo‘ is due to premiere in 2021, although it is one of those odd situations where the drama does not yet have a UK or US broadcaster. We’ll let you know when we hear more.
