‘Those About To Die’: Prime Video UK Picks Up Roland Emmerich’s Rome Drama Starring Anthony Hopkins, Iwan Rheon & Sara Martins

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Prime Video UK has picked up the UK broadcast rights to ‘Those About To Die‘, a drama series from director Roland Emmerich and ‘Saving Private Ryan’ writer Robert Rodat set in the spectacular, complex, and corrupt world of chariot racing and gladiatorial fights in ancient Rome, starring Sir Anthony Hopkins, Iwan Rheon & Sara Martins.

Panem et Circenses – Bread and Entertainment; Rome in 79 A.D.: The centre of the Roman Empire is the wealthiest city in the world, and there is a heavy influx of slave labourers from the growing empire to take over the work. 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.

Those About To Die delves into the world of the games – a world characterised by bloodlust, greed for money, the pursuit of power, and corruption. The races at Circus Maximus are controlled by four Patrician-owned corporations, the Blue, Red, White, and Green factions, and shares in the four factions are the most valuable things in Rome. As the taste in 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 – same as the underworld with the flourishing betting business. Underground, beneath the stands, thousands of people work and live – among them thousands who will die for the games.

The series stars Academy Award winner Sir Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs, King Lear) as Emperor Vespasian, Iwan Rheon (Game of Thrones) as Tenax, Tom Hughes (The English, Victoria) as Titus Flavianus, Sara Martins (Tell No One, Death in Paradise) as Cala, and Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson (Game of Thrones) as Viggo, alongside Jojo Macari (Sex Education), Gabriella Pession (Crossing Lines), Dimitri Leonidas (Rosewater, Renegades), Moe Hashim (Ted Lasso), Rupert Penry-Jones (Whitechapel), Eneko Sagardoy (Elite), Pepe Barroso (Gran Turismo), Gonçalo Almeida (Amor, Amor), Kyshan Wilson (Under the Amalfi Sun), Alicia Edogamhe (Summertime) and others.

The series is written by Academy Award-nominated head writer Robert Rodat (The Patriot, Saving Private Ryan), and directed by Roland Emmerich (‘The Patriot’, ‘Independence Day’, ‘Stargate’), together with Marco Kreuzpaintner (Beat, The Lazarus Project).

Inspired by the nonfiction book of the same name by Daniel P. Mannix, the 10-episode series comes from AGC studios and was commissioned by High End Productions, the Joint Venture recently created by Herbert G. Kloiber and Constantin Film, together with the American streaming provider Peacock and is produced by Centropolis, Hollywood Gang and Street Entertainment. Executive Producers are Emmerich, Harald Kloser (2012, White House Down, Midway), Gianni Nunnari (The Departed, 300), Herbert G. Kloiber, Martin Moszkowicz, Oliver Berben, Jonas Bauer, Charles Holland, Stuart Ford and Lourdes Diaz, Charles Holland, Kreuzpaintner and Rodat.

‘Those About To Die‘ does not have a premiere date yet, but will air in 2024 on Prime Video UK and in selected European countries. The series airs on Peacock in the USA. If you want to keep track of this or any other show, you can add them via our Never Miss system, and you’ll be notified when it gets a UK premiere date.