Director Roland Emmerich’s historical drama series Those About To Die, set in the worlds of chariot racing and gladiatorial fights in ancient Rome, is heading to Prime Video in the UK and Ireland.
With a cast that includes Sir Anthony Hopkins, Iwan Rheon, Tom Hughes and Rupert Penry-Jones, the series will also be available on Amazon’s streaming service in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Turkey, Andorra, Monaco, Luxembourg, and Belgium.
The cast also includes Sara Martins, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Jojo Macari, Gabriella Pession, Dimitri Leonidas, Moe Hashim, Eneko Sagardoy, Pepe Barroso, Gonçalo Almeida, Kyshan Wilson and Alicia Edogamhe.
Inspired by Daniel P. Mannix’s nonfiction book of the same name, the 10-episode series is set in Rome in 79 A.D when 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.
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.
Due to debut on Prime Video in 2024, Those About To Die was commissioned by High End Productions, the Joint Venture recently created by Herbert G. Kloiber and Constantin Film, together with US streaming service Peacock and is produced by Centropolis, Hollywood Gang and Street Entertainment.
The series was written by Robert Rodat, and directed by Emmerich, together with Marco Kreuzpaintner.