GORGEOUS FIRST TRAILERS FOR ITALIAN ENGLISH LANGUAGE EPIC TV SERIES THE NAME OF THE ROSE ARE OUT WITH RUPERT EVERETT, JOHN TURTURRO, DAMIAN HARDUNG, ALESSIO BONI

WHAT'S THE SPY'S VERDICT

Visually stunning, the series has one deadly weakness: John Turturro's almost scandalously bad acting, his approach to the role has no depth and is as expressive as a dead stone of a monastery wall. His poor efforts in acting are borderline offensive. Emerson, though, absolutely shines in his marvellous master class in acting, and young Hardung is an absolute breath of fresh air and loveliness.

'THE NAME OF THE ROSE'

The series starts airing March 4th in Italy!

EPIC TV SERIES TRAILERS ARE IN!

Rejoice, people! Italian national broadcaster RAI (which gave us magnificent epic series Medici Masters of Florence) has released two gorgeous trailers for their small screen version of Umberto Eco's famous THE NAME OF THE ROSE which will start airing from March 4th in Italy. With almost $30 million spent on the production, the eight episode series really should not disappoint the audience. BBC will air the series in UK, Sky in Germany, OCS in France. Sundance TV will air it in USA and Canada, with local broadcasters airing it around Europe too.

Damien Hardung plays young novice Adso

THE STORY OF THE NAME OF THE ROSE RAI'S EPIC TV SAGA IS
set in good old Mediaeval Italy, more precisely in the year 1327, and revolves around the old Franciscan monk William of Baskerville (played by American actor John Turturro) and his kind and innocent young novice Adso von Melk (played by German model & actor Damian Hardung) just as

John Turturro and Damian Hardung are William and Adso

they arrive at a secluded monastery in the Alps. There they become witnesses to a series of mysterious murders. While Baskerville and Melk investigate and

The series will later on air on BBC and Sundance as well

search for the killer, they are hunted themselves by the merciless inquisitor Bernard Gui (Rupert Everett), who prosecutes those who criticize the Pope.

WHO'S IN THE BROTHERHOOD?

The series stars John Turturro (as William of Baskervillea 14th century Franciscan monk, as he investigates a series of unusual deaths at a remote

Rupert Everett plays merciless inquisitor Gui!

monastery) and Rupert Everett (as Inquisitor Gui) while Michael Emerson will play The Abbot, an ambiguous, greedy, over sensitive and

Michael Emmerson is the evil Abbot!

irritable prince of the Abbey! Gorgeous German actor Damian Hardung will be William's apprentice, Benedictine novice Adso. The cast will also include Sebastian Kock, Piotr Adamczyk, James Cosmo, Richard Sammel and our favourite Italian star Alessio Boni next to Greta Scarano. The series will hit US on Sundance May 1st!

NEW PHOTOS FROM UPCOMING EPIC TV SERIES 'LES MISERABLES' WITH DOMINIC WEST, LILY COLLINS, OLIVIA COLMAN, JOSH O'CONNOR, 14TH CENTURY 'THE NAME OF THE ROSE' WITH JOHN TURTURRO, RUPERT EVERETT, DAMIAN HARDUNG

NEW 'LES MISERABLES'

PHOTOS FROM BBC TV SERIES

After the first photos of the leading stars, BBC One has now released a few more photos from their six part TV series adaptation of famous LES MISERABLES which is hitting the small screens sometime this year, which

Josh O'Connor as Marius and Ellie Bamber as Cosette

means we can expect a trailer soon! Beside Dominic West as Jean Valjean, Lily Collins as poverty stricken mother Fantine and David Oyelowo as the

Lily Collins as poor Fantine

evil police inspector Javert, the cast also includes Olivia Colman as Madame Thénardier, Adeel Akhtar as Monsieur Thénardier, Josh O’Connor as Marius and Ellie Bamber as Fantine's daughter Cosette.

HUGO'S 19TH CENTURY STORY
directed by Andrew Davies, is turned into series which delves deep into the many layers of the classic novel, revelling in Jean Valjean and Javert's cat-

Dominic West and David Oyelowo as Valjean and Javert

and-mouse relationship, against the epic backdrop of France at a time of civil unrest. With striking intensity and contemporary resonance, Hugo’s novel

Olivia Colman as opportunistic Madame Thenardier

explores the struggles and triumphs of the underclass and the quest for a better life. The six part television adaptation of the renowned book will vividly

Adeel Akhtar as evil Monsieur Thenardier who runs a boarding house for kids

and faithfully bring to life the vibrant and engaging characters, the spectacular and authentic imagery and, above all, the incredible yet accessible story that was Hugo’s lifework.

'THE NAME OF THE ROSE'

1ST PHOTO FROM RAI TV SERIES

Speaking of epic drama, check out the first image from Italian Rai's English language series THE NAME OF THE ROSE which will air next spring. Set in Italy in 1327, it follows the Franciscan monk William of Baskerville (John Turturro) and his novice Adso von Melk (Damian Hardung) as they arrive

BBC will air the series in UK, Sky in Germany, OCS in France. Sundance TV will air it in USA and Canada with local broadcaster airing it around Europe too.

at a secluded monastery in the Alps. There they become witnesses to a series of mysterious murders. While Baskerville and Melk investigate and search for the killer, they are hunted themselves by the merciless inquisitor Bernard Gui (Rupert Everett), who prosecutes those who criticize the Pope.

ANTONIO BANDERAS, EMMA THOMPSON, RALPH FIENNES, MICHAEL SHEEN JOIN 'VOYAGE OF DOCTOR DOLITTLE'! JOSEPH QUINN JOINS BBC'S 'LES MISERABLES', MICHAEL EMERSON JOINS RUPERT EVERETT, JOHN TURTURRO IN 'NAME OF THE ROSE' EPIC SERIES

  'VOYAGE OF DOCTOR DOLITTLE'

EMMA THOMPSON, BANDERAS, MICHAEL SHEEN, RALPH FIENNES  

 Universal Pictures is gathering a rather stellar cast for their live action adaptation of THE VOYAGE OF DOCTOR DOLLITLE which will see

Doctor DoLittle is set for April 2019 release!

Robert Downey Jr playing the famous doctor who can speak to animals. Antonio Banderas will apparently play his enemy, a pirate named Rassouli while Michael Sheen is set to play Mudfly! Meanwhile, British thespians Emma Thompson and Ralph Fiennes will lend their voices to some of the talking animals alongside young Tom Holland! An adaptation of Hugh Lofting's classic book from the 1920's the movie is viewed as the potential opening for a whole franchise.

  NEW EPIC SERIES CASTINGS

JOSEPH QUINN JOINS 'LES MISERABLES' AT BBC 

Les Miserables will air sometime next year!

Casting news from the period set TV series world today, starting with our lovely chap Joseph Quinn, whom we'd discovered in Dickensian and continued to love in that horrid borefest of Howards End. He has now joined another BBC production, the six part series on LES MISERAB- LES which already has Dominic West as Jean Valjean, Lily Collins as Fantine and David Oyelowo as Javert and Olivia Colman as Madame Thenardier. Quinn will play Enjorlas, a revolutionary who dies for his beliefs in the June Rebellion.

MICHAEL EMERSON JOINS 'THE NAME OF THE ROSE'

Italian Rai is preparing the new epic series

I've already told you that Italian RAI is preparing $30 million epic series based on Umberto Eco's THE NAME OF THE ROSE and that John Turturro (As William of Baskerville) and Rupert Everett (as Inquisitor Gui) will lead the cast, and now they're joined by Michael Emerson who will play The Abbot, an ambiguous, greedy, over sensitive and irritable prince of the Abbey! To start airing its eight episodes at the beginning of next year, it follows William of Baskerville, a 14th century Franciscan monk, as he investigates a series of unusual deaths at a remote monastery! Damian Hardung will be William's apprentice, Benedictine novice Adso.

PERIOD SET THURSDAY: RUPERT EVERETT, DAMIAN HARDUNG, JOHN TURTURRO TO LEAD 'NAME OF THE ROSE' TV SERIES! LIV TYLER JOINS 'HARLOTS' COSTUME DRAMA SEASON 2

  'THE NAME OF THE ROSE'

TO BECOME TELEVISION SERIES

Damian Hardung will star in the eight episode series

News from the epic TV series front today as well, starting with the ones coming from Italy, where their national broadcaster RAI will, after scoring major success with Medici saga, venture into adapting Umberto Eco's novel THE NAME OF THE ROSE into TV series. John Turturro and Rupert Everett have already been cast as leads!

  The story which was already turned into a Jean Jacques Annaud movie with Sean Connery, follows William of Baskerville, a 14th century Franciscan monk, as he investigates a series of unusual deaths at a remote monastery. John Turturro will take the role of William of Baskerville, Rupert Everett will be Inquisitor Gui and Damian Hardung will be William's apprentice, Benedictine novice Adso.

  LIV TYLER JOINS

'HARLOTS' EPIC SEASON 2

Hulu is preparing the production of the second season of their historical drama HARLOTS and Liv Tyler, whom we will watch this Saturday

Liv Tyler will play Lady Isabella in the second season

  on BBC next to Kit Harington in Gunpowder epic drama, has been added to the cast.  Set in the 18th century Georgian London, HARLOTS follows the Wells family, led by matriarch Margaret (Samantha Morton). When her daughter Charlotte (Jessica Brown Findlay) places herself in the home of arch rival bawd Lydia Quigley (Lesley Manville), their toxic and deep set rivalry is taken to a dangerous new level. Liv Tyler will be Lady Isabella Fitzwilliam. Long-held secrets keep her in the thrall of Lydia Quigley, and she is an increasingly desperate victim of Lydia’s blackmail. Trapped in a loveless marriage, Lady Fitz will find an unexpected friend and ally in courtesan Charlotte Wells.