Peacock has released the first teaser trailer for Roland Emmerich’s upcoming gladiator drama series Those About To Die. The series stars two-time Academy Award-winner Anthony Hopkins, who narrates the trailer, setting the tone for the series.
The epic drama is set in the corrupt world of the spectacle-driven gladiatorial competition, “exploring a side of ancient Rome never before told – the dirty business of entertaining the masses, giving the mob what they want most…blood and sport. The series introduces an ensemble of characters from all corners of the Roman Empire who collide at the explosive intersection of sports, politics, and dynasties.”
Emmerich said in a statement: “I have always been fascinated by the history of the Roman Empire. So much still seems relevant for our society today – from the entanglement of politics and sports to the disciplines of the competitions, which haven’t changed much either over the last 2000 years.”
He added: “The most electrifying spectacles for the masses still involve two men in an arena, beating each other up, and the chariots of today are called race cars whose drivers still crash and often pay with their lives.”
The filmmaker talked about his goal for the series, saying: “When my partners Gianni Nunnari and Harald Kloser put Daniel Mannix’s Those About to Die on my reading list, I was immediately hooked. My goal was to create a show that explores a side of Rome never told before – the dirty business of entertaining the masses, giving the mob what they want most…blood and sport. Let the games begin.”
Hopkins is joined in the series by Iwan Rheon (Game of Thrones), Sara Martins, Tom Hughes (A Discovery of Witches), Jojo Macari (Morbius), Moe Hashim, Johannes Haukur Johannesson, Rupert Penry-Jones, Gabriella Pession, Dimitri Leonidas, Emilio Sakraya, David Wurawa, Pepe Barroso, Gonçalo Almeida, Eneko Sagardoy, and Romana Maggiora Vergano.
Emmerich directed five of the ten episodes in Those About To Die with Marco Kreuzpaintner (Bodies, The Lazarus Project) directing the other five.
Peacock confirmed that all ten episodes of Those About To Die will premiere on July 18th.