Gladiators, Anthony Hopkins, Sara Martin, Roland Emmerich to direct and a budget of 150 million dollars: the peplum series “Those About to Die” promises to be essential this year.
While the sequel to Gladiator, still by Ridley Scott, is expected for November 20, another epic is hitting the screens. Entitled Those About to Die – which can be translated as Those who are about to die in French – this series offered by the American platform Peacock promises to be one of this summer’s blockbusters.
And for good reason, this program has a significant budget of 150 million dollars. The project is led by Roland Emmerich, notably known for his successful disaster films, from The Day After to 2012. Here he signs the first series of his career.
The Peacock platform has revealed the very first teaser (see above), a thirty-second montage which introduces the characters and gives a brief glimpse of a battle and chariot racing scene. It’s impossible not to think of Ben-Hur when faced with such images.
Those About to Die is the adaptation of the eponymous book by Daniel P. Mannix, published in 1958. The plot will take place in the corrupt and complex world of gladiator competitions.
“The series includes a large cast of diverse people from Roman society who clash at the intersection of sports, politics and ancient world dynasties“, informs the press release.
In the cast of this blockbuster, we find Anthony Hopkins in the leading role as Emperor Vespasian. Alongside him, the French Sara Martins, Iwan Rheon, Tom Hughes, Jojo Macari, Gabriella Pession and Dimitri Leonidas give him the reply.
Without French date, Those About to Die is expected from July 18 on Peacock.