HOLLYWOOD SPY'S SPOTLIGHT ON BEST PERIOD SET AND EPIC SERIES ARRIVING THIS AUTUMN: FROM BRITAIN, GERMANY AND FRANCE, TO ITALY, AUSTRIA AND FANTASY WORLDS OF TOLKIEN

 AUTUMN 2022 EPIC SHOWS 

THE RINGS OF POWER

The biggest series event of the year if not the whole decade will be the September 2nd premiere of the most expensive series ever made LORD OF THE RINGS: RINGS OF POWER over at Amazon Prime Video. The eight episode first season is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. In today's exclusive photos you can see Benjamin Walker as Elven king Gil-Galad.

MARIE ANTOINETTE

Over at French Canal + and BBC after Versailles, we can expect MARIE ANTOINETTE series later this year. The eight part series, starring Emilia Schule in the lead role follows the famed queen Marie Antoinette, who was the last queen of France before the French Revolution. James Purefoy also stars with Louis Cunningham as King Louis XVI! 

TOM JONES

After a very long wait, we can also expect that the Autumn will bring us the four part adaptation of Henry Fielding's TOM JONES over at ITV, a picaresque story of the title character’s complicated journey to find real love, which has delighted and scandalized readers since it was originally published in 1749. The raunchy novel follows often very scandalous and bawdy sexual exploits and merry adventures of the young and good hearted 18th century foundling Tom Jones in a story full of twists and surprises. Solly McLeod takes the lead.

SERPENT QUEEN

Although most of the costume drama is coming from Europe, America has one in their sleeve too: Autumn is also bringing SERPENT QUEEN to Starz. Starring Samantha Morton (another exclusive photo today for you) the eight part saga will portray the Italian noblewoman and queen of France Catherine de Medici, married to King Henry II and mother of kings Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III. She had huge influence in France during the 16th century. 

THE EMPRESS

Earlier this summer I showed you the first teaser for Netflix German epic saga THE EMPRESS which arrives September 29th. The series will depict Austrian empress Sisi’s life from her teenage years onwards, when she first met Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria Hungary, and Devrim Lingnau and Philip Froissant will play the imperial couple. When the rebellious Elisabeth meets Franz, the Emperor of Austria, in 1853 the young couple's intoxicating love completely upsets the power structure at the Viennese court.

 

BARBARIANS

Also arriving to Netflix this Autumn is the second season of Germany's historical series BARBARIANS in which Jeanne Goursaud, Laurence Rupp and David Schütter return as Arminius, Thusnelda and Folkwin who managed to kick Romans out of Germania. The second season will send them on a new adventure of love, friendship and betrayal.

 

LIDIA POET

Also streaming on Netflix this Autumn, but arriving from Italy is historical series LIDIA POET with Matilda de Angelis in the title role of the series which reconstructs the true story of the Italian woman who in late 19th century Turin fought a legal battle to be allowed to practice as a lawyer after she was forbidden to do so by a court order. She became Italy’s first female lawyer. Romulus helmer Matteo Rovere is directing. 

 

1899

Netflix is also ready to give us some period set horror thrills in their new series 1899 which revolves around a migrant steamship heading west to leave the old continent from London to New York. The passengers, a mixed bag of European origins, are united by their hopes and dreams for the new century and their future abroad. When they discover another migrant ship adrift on open sea, their journey takes an unexpected turn. What they find on board will turn their passage to the promised land into a horrifying nightmare.

 

WILLOW

Disney Plus has set November 30th start date for their new epic series WILLOW in which Warwick Davis is reprising his movie role of Willow Ufgood in a story of a child destined to bean empress, and the unlikely hero who would protect her. Ellie Bamber also stars in this film set in a magical world where sorcerers, trolls, and other mystical creatures flourish, and where the adventure continues, as an unlikely group of heroes sets off on a dangerous quest to places far beyond their home, where they must face their inner demons and come together to save their world.

 

SAS: ROGUE HEROES

BBC is bringing us their new period set series SAS: ROGUE HEROES starring Connor Swindells, Jack O'Connell, Alfie Allen, alongside Dominic West and Sofia Boutella. The six part drama is the dramatised

SAS: Rogue Heroes will air sometime next year on BBC

account of how the world’s greatest Specia lForces unit, the SAS, was formed under extraordinary circumstances in the darkest days of World War Two. 

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE

AMC Plus will air a TV series adaptation of Anne Rice's vampire saga INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE with Sam Reid as Lestat de Lioncourt and Jacob Anderson as Louis. The story follows an 18th century Lord, Louis, as he recounts his story and tumultuous relationship with his maker – Lestat – to an eager interviewer and biographer. After he was turned into a vampire by Lestat in 1790s in New Orleans, they developed a love-hate relationship over the centuries!