Showing posts with label RAI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RAI. Show all posts

Friday, May 15, 2026

COLIN MORGAN, LUKE TREADAWAY TO LEAD NEW FAMILY ADVENTURE SERIES THE EMPEROR'S STONE FOR RAI, ZDF AND FRANCE TELEVISIONS

   THE EMPEROR'S STONE  
TV SERIES STARRING COLIN MORGAN
We do ever so love European coproductions and now French France Television, German ZDF and Italian RAI are producing a six episode family adventure series THE EMPEROR'S STONE starring our dear Colin Morgan alongside Luke Treadaway! In the series, an ex-treasure-hunter
First look at Colin and Luke in the new series
 and descendent of a famous pirate uncovers a lost diary that could lead to the mysterious and powerful Emperor’s Stone. To repair his fractured family and save their home, they follow clues left by their ancestors, finding themselves facing dangerous powers on a high-stakes adventure to stop the stone from falling into the wrong hands.

Friday, December 26, 2025

NEW SANDOKAN EPIC TV SERIES WITH CAN YAMAN, ED WESTWICK AND JOHN HANNAH HITS NETFLIX THIS JANUARY!

    SANDOKAN SERIES    
SEE THE NEW EPIC TV SERIES POSTERS
Lux Vide already started airing it in Italy over on their Rai and their new epic TV adaptation of famous SANDOKAN  is also available on Prime Video in some countries, but it will also stream for the rest of the world on Netflix from January 19th with Turkish heartthrob Can Yaman in the lead role of the famous adventurer. Alanah Bloor, Ed Westwick, Alessandro Preziosi, John Hannah also star beside him. 
Can Yaman leads the new series
 
IN NEW SERIES
  Adventure, passion, revolution and love for nature: these are the colors of Sandokan, the event series that gives life to the immortal character created by Emilio Salgari. The series goes to the roots of a myth, exploring the origins of the Malaysian Tiger and telling his trajectory from a simple adventurer to the prince of the pirates. In Borneo, a tropical paradise inhabited by the native tribes of Dayak, but dominated by the ruthless law ofthe colonialist British, Sandokan is a pirate who lives by the day: he fights only for himself and for his crew, 
The series will start this December on RAI
including the trusted Yanez. But his life changes when he meets Marianna, the beautiful daughter of Labuan’s British consul during a raid. It is the beginning of an impossible love story between two similar souls: Marianna, of European and noble blood, but with the wild spirit of those who grew up in a tropical paradise, and Sandokan, pirate and adventurer, who without knowing it carries within himself the blood of ancient warrior kings. On their trail will be the legendary pirate hunter Lord James Brooke, who will stop at nothing to capture Sandokan and win Mariana’s heart. The protagonists will fight for themselves and for their love, but soon they will understand that they are part of a much greater story: that of apeople who fight for freedom and for the salvation of unspoiled nature... And this people, the Dayak, seek a leader who can save them. For this reason Sandokan will be called to be much more than a pirate: he will have to become the legendary Tiger of Malaysia.
 

Friday, October 31, 2025

NEW SANDOKAN EPIC TV SERIES POSTERS WITH CAN YAMAN, ED WESTWICK AND JOHN HANNAH

    SANDOKAN SERIES    
The series will start this December on RAI
SEE THE NEW EPIC TV SERIES POSTERS
Lux Vide and Italian Broadcaster Rai are ready to premiere their new epic TV adaptation of famous SANDOKAN  this December so we have lovely and colourful new posters with Turkish heartthrob Can Yaman in the lead role of the famous adventurer. Alanah Bloor, Ed Westwick, Alessandro Preziosi, John Hannah also star beside him. You can also check out the trailer below and tell us what you think, would you
Can Yaman leads the new series
 watch the exotic new series?
 
IN NEW SERIES
  Adventure, passion, revolution and love for nature: these are the colors of Sandokan, the event series that gives life to the immortal character created by Emilio Salgari. The series goes to the roots of a myth, exploring the origins of the Malaysian Tiger and telling his trajectory from a simple adventurer to the prince of the pirates. In Borneo, a tropical paradise inhabited by the native tribes of Dayak, but dominated by the ruthless law ofthe colonialist British, Sandokan is a pirate who lives by the day: he fights only for himself and for his crew, including the trusted Yanez. But his life changes when he meets Marianna, the beautiful daughter of Labuan’s British consul during a raid. It is the beginning of an impossible love story between two similar souls: Marianna, of European and noble blood, but with the wild spirit of those who grew up in a tropical paradise, and Sandokan, pirate and adventurer, who without knowing it carries within himself the blood of ancient warrior kings. On their trail will be the legendary pirate hunter Lord James Brooke, who will stop at nothing to capture Sandokan and win Mariana’s heart. The protagonists will fight for themselves and for their love, but soon they will understand that they are part of a much greater story: that of apeople who fight for freedom and for the salvation of unspoiled nature... And this people, the Dayak, seek a leader who can save them. For this reason Sandokan will be called to be much more than a pirate: he will have to become the legendary Tiger of Malaysia.

Thursday, July 3, 2025

FIRST SANDOKAN EPIC TV SERIES TRAILER AND AIR DATE REVEALED WITH CAN YAMAN, ED WESTWICK AND JOHN HANNAH IN THE CAST

    SANDOKAN SERIES    
TRAILER AND AIR DATE REVEALED
Sandokan arrives this December to RAI
Lux Vide and Italian Broadcaster Rai are ready to premiere their new epic TV adaptation of famous SANDOKAN  this December so we have the first trailer with Turkish heartthrob Can Yaman in the lead role of the famous adventurer. Alanah Bloor, Ed Westwick, Alessandro Preziosi, John Hannah also star beside him.
 
IN NEW SERIES
  Adventure, passion, revolution and love for nature: these are the colors of Sandokan, the event series that gives life to the immortal character created by Emilio Salgari. The series goes to the roots of a myth, exploring the origins of the Malaysian Tiger and telling his trajectory from a simple adventurer to the prince of the pirates. In Borneo, a tropical paradise inhabited by the native tribes of Dayak, but dominated by the ruthless law ofthe colonialist British, Sandokan is a pirate who lives by the day: he fights
Can Yaman takes the lead role
 only for himself and for his crew, including the trusted Yanez. But his life changes when he meets Marianna, the beautiful daughter of Labuan’s British consul during a raid. It is the beginning of an impossible love story between two similar souls: Marianna, of European and noble blood, but with the wild spirit of those who grew up in a tropical paradise, and Sandokan, pirate and adventurer, who without knowing it carries within himself the blood of ancient warrior kings. On their trail will be the legendary pirate hunter Lord James Brooke, who will stop at nothing to capture Sandokan and win Mariana’s heart. The protagonists will fight for themselves and for their love, but soon they will understand that they are part of a much greater story: that of apeople who fight for freedom and for the salvation of unspoiled nature... And this people, the Dayak, seek a leader who can save them. For this reason Sandokan will be called to be much more than a pirate: he will have to become the legendary Tiger of Malaysia.

Sunday, March 30, 2025

PREMIUM SPOTLIGHT ON ITALIAN PERIOD SET SERIES BELCANTO ON THE 18TH CENTURY BIRTH OF OPERA WITH VITTORIA PUCCINI

  BELCANTO 18TH CENTURY  
PERIOD SET TV SERIES FROM ITALY
Belcanto started airing on RAI February 28th
I have to admit that I actually thought this one was coming up sometime later this year, but it turns out that it started airing in Italy in February and finished a week ago, so beside El Turco and Leopard we have another Italian costume drama to watch this spring.  Coming from Mariano Di Nardo, Antonio Manca and Federico Fava  BELCANTO eight part series set in 1798, had, it seems, quite nice viewing ratings in Italy with over 20% of viewership in the country tuning in to every episode. The actresses and actors do not sing in the series on their own, but have voices lent from operatic singers from Italy and it is interesting that the soundtrack of the series has
Belcanto consists of eight episodes
entered Italian music charts. The series was shot in the historic parts of Naples at the beginning of last year.
 
  THE STORY OF THE SERIES FOLLOWS
14-year-old Carolina (Adriana Savarese), her 17-year-old sister Antonia  (Caterina Ferioli) and their mother Maria (Vittoria Puccini) who seek refuge in the city of Milan after stabbing their violent father to death. The elder sister dreams of becoming a renowned singer, much as her mother once hoped for when she was the girl’s age. However, an unhappy and often violent marriage waylaid young Maria, who is now willing to go the extreme lengths to ensure that her daughter is afforded every opportunity withheld from herself. Maria’s intense focus on the beautiful elder sister leaves little attention or affection for young and ugly Carolina however, who more modestly only dreams of earning her mother’s affection. Things go upside down however when a well-respected singing teacher in the cosmopolitan city renowned for its music discovers that Maria’s youngest is the true talent in the family. The Italian bel canto opera movement flourished in the early 19th century and is exemplified by the operas of Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and others. Literally “beautiful singing”, bel canto opera derives from the Italian stylistic singing school of the same name. Carmine Recano, Giacomo Giorgio, Vincenzo Ferrera and Nicolo Pasetti also star in the historical series.
 

Friday, June 7, 2024

FEAST YOUR EYES ON FIRST SANDOKAN EPIC TV SERIES IMAGES WITH CAN YAMAN, ED WESTWICK AND JOHN HANNAH

   FIRST SANDOKAN   
IMAGES FROM NEW EPIC TV SERIES
Lux Vide and Italian Broadcaster Rai have treated us today with the first images from their new epic TV adaptation of famous SANDOKAN which
Can Yaman is new Sandokan
is currently in production with Turkish heartthrob Can Yaman in the lead role of the famous adventurer. Alanah Bloor, Ed Westwick, Alessandro Preziosi, John Hannah also star beside him.
 
IN NEW SERIES
  Adventure, passion, revolution and love for nature: these are the colors of Sandokan, the event series that gives life to the immortal character created by Emilio Salgari. The series goes to the roots of a myth, exploring the origins of the Malaysian Tiger and telling his trajectory from a simple adventurer to the prince of the pirates. In Borneo, a tropical paradise inhabited by the native tribes of Dayak, but dominated by the ruthless law of the colonialist British, Sandokan is a pirate who lives by the day: he fights only for himself and for his crew, including the trusted Yanez. But his life changes when he meets Marianna, the beautiful daughter of Labuan’s British consul during a raid. It is the beginning of an impossible love story between two similar souls: Marianna, of European and noble blood, but with the wild spirit of those who grew up in a tropical paradise, and Sandokan, pirate and adventurer, who without knowing it carries within himself the blood of ancient warrior kings. On their trail will be the legendary pirate hunter Lord James Brooke, who will stop at nothing to capture Sandokan and win Mariana’s heart. The protagonists will fight for themselves and for their love, but soon they will understand that they are part of a much greater story: that of a people who fight for freedom and for the salvation of unspoiled nature... And this people, the Dayak, seek a leader who can save them. For this reason Sandokan will be called to be much more than a pirate: he will have to become the legendary Tiger of Malaysia.
 

Thursday, April 18, 2024

SANDOKAN EPIC SERIES STARTS SHOOTING, ED WESTWICK, JOHN HANNAH JOIN CAN YAMAN

 CAN YAMAN'S SANDOKAN 
EPIC TV SERIES ANNOUNCES FULL CAST
After years long delay due to covid Lux Vide and Italian RAI are finally starting production on SANDOKAN epic TV series next Monday.  It is set in the mid 19th century on the island of Borneo, where the native Dayak tribes are dominated by ruthless Brits at the height of their colonial power. Initially, Sandokan (Can Yaman) just goes about his pirate business without taking
Ed Westwick, Can Yaman and Alessandro Preziosi will star
sides, leading his motley crew that includes trusted sidekick Yanez de Gomera (Alessandro Preziosi). Everything changes during a raid when Sandokan intersects and elopes with Marianne (Alanah Bloor), the daughter of the British consul (John Hannah). Pirate hunter Lord James Brooke, (Ed Westwick) will stop at nothing to capture Sandokan and win Marianne’s heart. Also in the cast are Madeleine Price, Gilberto Gliozzi, Mark Grosy  and Samuele Segreto.

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

RAI REVEALS CAST FOR THEIR 18TH CENTURY SET COSTUME TV DRAMA BEL CANTO

 BEL CANTO COSTUME DRAMA
UNVEILS LEAD CAST AT RAI
RAI has unveiled today the lead cast for their expensive new costume series BEL CANTO which will probably stream on Netflix as well. It is set in 1798, as 14-year-old Carolina, her 17-year-old sister Antonia (Caterina Ferioli and
Andrea Bosca, Vittoria Puccini and Giacomo Giorgio
Adriana Savarese) and their mother Maria (Vittoria Puccini) seek refuge in the city of Milan after stabbing their violent father to death. The elder sister dreams of becoming a renowned singer, much as her mother once hoped for when she was the girl’s age. However, a well-respected singing teacher
Carmine Recano, Serena de Ferrari and Nicolo Pasetti
discovers that Maria’s youngest is the true talent in the family, and feelings of jealousy and competition arise. Giacomo Giorgio (as a young, inexperienced writer and revolutionary Enrico.) and Serena de Ferrari, Vincenzo Ferrera, Andrea Bosca, Nicolo Pasetti, Carmine Recano (as Maria’s lover) and Antonio Gerardi will also star.

Thursday, October 12, 2023

BLAKE RITSON JOINS SAM CLAFLIN IN COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO EPIC TV SERIES, BILLE AUGUST TO DIRECT

 THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO 
ADS NEW CAST AND DIRECTOR
Your spy was among the first ones to show you first set pictures from Sam Claflin's new THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO eight part series and now we have news that Bille August will direct it and that the cast will also include Blake Ritson, Ana Girardot, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Karla-Simone Spence, Michele Riondino, Lino Guanciale, Gabriella Pession and Nicolas Maupas. Mediawan's English language series is being shot for France TV and Italian RAI till December! 
 
IN THE SERIES CLAFLIN STARS
as Edmond Dantes, a nineteen-year-old sailor who was falsely accused of treason and is imprisoned without trial in the Château d’If, a grim island fortress off Marseille. After many years of captivity he finally escapes and, under the identity of the Count of Monte Cristo, he plans to take revenge on those who have wrongly accused him.
 

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

SEE FIRST IMAGES AND TRAILER FOR NEW ITALIAN WORLD WAR 2 MINI TV SERIES LA STORIA BASED ON ELSA MORANTE'S GLOBAL BESTSELLER

   LA STORIA TV SERIES  
SET IN WORLD WAR 2 ROME
Beside Lions of Sicily and Leopard, another new period set series coming to us from Italy is LA STORIA, an eight part historical drama based on the famous book by Elsa Morante. The show, which will air on RAI later this year, starts on an ordinary day in 1941, when widow Ida Ramundo (Jasmine Trinca), Nino's mother and secretly of Jewish origin, is raped by a German soldier. After the pain, the dismay and the shame, Ida discovers she is pregnant and, nine months later, secretly gives birth to a baby boy who will be lovingly nicknamed Useppe. The family is turned upside down by the events of the war: Nino decides to leave for the front with the fascists, leaving his mother and little Useppe to cope with the Nazi occupation and the round-ups in a flat in Rome's San Lorenzo district. In the July 1943 bombing, Ida loses everything and is forced to evacuate. From then on, every day for her becomes a struggle for her own survival and that of her child. Asia Argento, Elio Germano and Valerio Mastandrea also star in the new series. Check out the first trailer below and tell us what you think.

Thursday, September 7, 2023

ITALIAN RAI PREPARING PERIOD SET SERIES BELCANTO ON THE 18TH CENTURY BIRTH OF OPERA WITH VITTORIA PUCCINI IN THE LEAD

  RAI'S BELCANTO SERIES 
ON THE BIRTH OF OPERA
Italian broadcaster RAI and Lucky Red producers are teaming up on new period set series BELCANTO and have set Vittoria Puccini as the lead. As Deadline reports,
Vittoria Puccini will lead Belcanto cast
set in 1798, it will follow 14-year-old Carolina, her 17-year-old sister Antonia and their mother Maria who seek refuge in the city of Milan after stabbing their violent father to death. The elder sister dreams of becoming a renowned singer, much as her mother once hoped for when she was the girl’s age. However, a well-respected singing teacher discovers that Maria’s youngest is the true talent in the family. The Italian bel canto opera movement flourished in the early 19th century and is exemplified by the operas of Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and others. Literally “beautiful singing”, bel canto opera derives from the Italian stylistic singing school of the same name. We first informed you about this series back in February last year.

Friday, February 10, 2023

STARZ ORDERS SPARTACUS EPIC TV SERIES SEQUEL! TRAILER AND AIR DATE FOR MEGA EXPENSIVE HIGH END PANEUROPEAN SF SERIES THE SWARM!

  SPARTACUS SEQUEL  
IN WORKS OVER AT STARZ
After two flops last year with Becoming Elizabeth and Dangerous Liaisons, it seems Starz is returning to their old, already proven hits by ordering a sequel series to their legendary SPARTACUS from Steven S. DeKnight! The next chapter will explore uncharted territory and new journeys of the original series’ iconic characters. In the aftermath of the defeat of Spartacus and his rebel army in the series finale, the new drama will depict a new tale of treachery, deceit, and blood unfolding beneath the foreboding shadow of Rome.  

   THE SWARM TRAILER  
FOR NEW GERMAN SERIES
The Swarm arrives this March in Europe
Last summer I showed you the first trailer for German ZDF high end ambitious sf series THE SWARM which our dear Beta Film is distributing around the world, and now we have a new trailer and March 6th air date. Nordic, Italian, Austrian, Swiss and French broadcasters will also take part in this European coproduction which will also stream on Hulu for American audience and will first premiere at Berlinale. The eight part series is an adaption of Frank Schätzing’s novel that has been translated into 25 languages and has Game of Thrones' Frank Doelger as the
It will premiere at Berlinale later this month
executive producer. 
 
  THE GLOBAL 
 environmental thriller is set in the present day, where anomalies and unnatural behavior in marine animals are causing upheaval all over the world. Mysterious events from the depths of the oceans are piling up all over the world: whales are destroying boats, deep-sea crabs are attacking beaches, and mussels are paralyzing container ships.  A previously unknown ice worm is destabilizing continental slopes in the oceans and triggering tsunamis, and a deadly pathogen is spreading in drinking water from the coasts. More and more people in the world are in mortal danger. THE SWARM follows a global group of scientists who come together to tackle one of the biggest challenges mankind has ever faced and go on a life-threatening mission on their own. The traces lead them with their research ship into the eternal ice. They make the chilling discovery that deep at the bottom of the sea resides a collective intelligence which has suffered the ravages of civilization on its habitat - and decided to fight back.
 WHO IS IN THE TEAM?
Leonie Benesch plays the marine biology student Charlie Wagner, who collects ocean current data for her professor Katherina Lehmann (Barbara Sukowa) on the Shetland Islands. Alexander Karim plays Sigur Johanson, who is asked by a Norwegian oil company for a biological report and discovers the dangerous ice worm alongside Tina Lund (Krista Kosonen). While French molecular biologist Cecile Roche (Cecile de France) struggles with a deadly bacterium in drinking water, Canadian whale researcher Leon Anawak (Joshua Odjick) tries to explain the whales' unusually dangerous behavior. The international research team also has data analyst Alicia Delaware (Rosabell Laurenti Sellers), space researcher Samantha Crowe (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) as well as the student Amir (Eidin Jalali) and the Japanese philanthropist Mifune (Takuya Kimura). Alban (Oliver Masucci), captain of the technically sophisticated research ship Thorvaldson, and the diving robotics expert Roscovitz (Klaas Heufer-Umlauf) embark on a daring mission into the eternal ice with the scientists. Our boy Jack Greenlees also stars. In USA the series will air on CW probably in late 2023.

Saturday, June 11, 2022

MARINE CATACLYSM AWAITS PEOPLE IN THE SWARM SUPER AMBITIOUS HIGH END SF SERIES! SEE TRAILER AND CHARACTER POSTERS!

   THE SWARM TRAILER  
FOR NEW GERMAN SERIES
Although it will not air anytime this year, as it is scheduled to arrive sometime in 2023, German ZDF has released the first teaser trailer and character posters for their high end ambitious sf series THE SWARM which our dear Beta Film is distributing around the world. Nordic, Italian and
Der Schwarm will arrive in 2023!
French broadcasters will also take part in this European coproduction. The eight part series is an adaption of Frank Schätzing’s novel that has been translated into 25 languages and has Game of Thrones' Frank Doelger as the executive producer. 
 
  The global environmental thriller is set in the present day, where anomalies and unnatural behavior in marine animals are causing upheaval all over the world. Mysterious events from the depths of the oceans are piling up all over the world: whales are destroying boats, deep-sea crabs are attacking beaches, and mussels are paralyzing container ships. A previously unknown ice worm is destabilizing continental slopes in the oceans and triggering tsunamis, and a deadly pathogen is spreading in drinking water from the coasts. More and more people in the world are in mortal danger. THE SWARM follows a global group of scientists who come together to tackle one of the biggest challenges mankind has ever faced and go on a life-threatening mission on their own. The traces lead them with their research ship into the eternal ice. They make the chilling discovery that deep at the bottom of the sea resides a collective intelligence which has suffered the ravages of civilization on its habitat - and decided to fight back.

 WHO IS IN THE TEAM?
Leonie Benesch plays the marine biology student Charlie Wagner, who collects ocean current data for her professor Katherina Lehmann (Barbara Sukowa) on the Shetland Islands. Alexander Karim plays Sigur Johanson, who is asked by a Norwegian oil company for a biological report and discovers the dangerous ice worm alongside Tina Lund (Krista Kosonen). While French molecular biologist Cecile Roche (Cecile de France) struggles with a deadly bacterium in drinking water, Canadian whale researcher Leon Anawak (Joshua Odjick) tries to explain the whales' unusually dangerous behavior. The international research team also has data analyst Alicia Delaware (Rosabell Laurenti Sellers), space researcher Samantha Crowe (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) as well as the student Amir (Eidin Jalali) and the Japanese philanthropist Mifune (Takuya Kimura). Alban (Oliver Masucci), captain of the technically sophisticated research ship Thorvaldson, and the diving robotics expert Roscovitz (Klaas Heufer-Umlauf) embark on a daring mission into the eternal ice with the scientists.