BRENDAN COWELL AND ASHER KEDDIE TO LEAD NEW AUSTRALIAN MINI TV SERIES PLUM

   PLUM NEW TV SERIES   

TO HAVE BRENDAN COWELL AND ASHER KEDDIE AS LEADS

Australian ABC is preparing a six episode series PLUM directed by Brendan Cowell who based it on his own book and will also take the lead next to Asher Keddie. It follows Peter ‘The Plum’ Lum, a 49-year-old national football treasure who lives with his son Gavin (Vincent Miller) and girlfriend Charmaine (María Dupláa) in Cronulla. It looks like Plum is living the dream until he discovers he has a brain disorder as a result of the hundreds of concussions he suffered on the field. The new diagnosis doesn’t receive its intended effect, as Plum would sooner hide, run, and head to the pub for drinks with the boys and pretend everything is peaches. But hiding from the truth isn’t easy when your ex-wife (Asher Keddie) cares too much and your son comes to realise the father he worships is falling off his mantle and the game they love might be to blame.

YELLOWSTONE'S TAYLOR SHERIDAN TO DIRECT EMPIRE OF THE SUMMER MOON EPIC MOVIE ON THE RISE AND THE FALL OF COMANCHES

   TAYLOR SHERIDAN TO HELM  

EMPIRE OF THE SUMMER MOON

As Deadline reports Yellowstone's Taylor Sheridan is to turn EMPIRE OF THE SUMMER MOON book by S.C. Gwyne into an epic movie charting the rise and fall of the Comanches, the most powerful Indian tribe in American history.

Taylor Sheridan will helm the movie

It will depict the four-decade struggle between the Comanche tribe and white settlers to control the American West. Quanah was considered its greatest chief. Comanches were legendary fighters, with young boys able to ride horses bareback by the time they were 6 years old. They were so masterful with the bow and lance that they stopped the northern drive of colonial Spain from Mexico and halted the French expansion westward from Louisiana. Part of the story involves Quanah’s mother, Cynthia Ann Parker, who was 9 when she was kidnapped by the Comanches. Quanah and the Comanches drove back the Spanish and French, but the settlers coming from the Eastern states were more formidable. They created the Texas Rangers and fortified them with the six gun, for which the Comanches had no answer.

SEE FIRST IMAGES FROM 1903 SANKT PETERSBURG SET HISTORICAL SERIES PURE WITH RINAL MUKHAMETOV, NIKITA KOLOGRIVIY

    FIRST PURE   

COSTUME DRAMA IMAGES

Russia is really preparing a lot of historical dramas right now and we can expect a lot of new series from the genre coming to the small screens later this year. Among them is one that I mentioned a few weeks ago but today I have exclusive first images from the sets of PURE (Чистые) historical series fromfamous Russian director and producer Fedor Bondarchuk who also stars in it. This eight episode costume drama stars one of our most favourite of the Russian actors, super charismatic Rinal Mukhametov in the ensemble that also includes Mark Eidelshtein, Anton Filipenko, Evgeniy Koryakovskiy, Danil Vorobev and our old friend Nikita Kologriviy from enchanting Russian fairy tale Wish of the Fairy Fish.

THIS PERIOD SET SERIES

will take us back to Petersburg, 1903. A world of luxury and leisure for men, a world of fear and submission for women. Kseniya (Sofia Sinitsina) and Stesha (Diana Milyutina) work in an underground brothel under the control of a pretty and ruthless lady. Girls sell men their bodies, feelings, flirting and the illusion of love. It seems they have nothing but beauty. In fact, they have access to a secret power - purity of soul and desire for freedom. And with this power they can change everything. Stay tuned as I will give you the first trailer as soon as they release it later this year.

SEE FIRST THE COMPLETELY MADE UP ADVENTURES OF DICK TURPIN HISTORICAL COMEDY SERIES IMAGES WITH NOEL FIELDING, HUGH BONNEVILLE

  FIRST APPLE TV IMAGES 

FROM THE COMPLETELY MADE UP ADVENTURES OF DICK TURPIN SERIES

After The New Look yesterday, Apple TV Plus has also sent us first images from their historical comedy series THE COMPLETELY MADE UP ADVENTURES OF DICK TURPIN which will stream from March 1st with Noel Fielding, Hugh Bonneville and Tamsin Grieg in the cast! Ellie White, Marc Wootton, Duayne Boachie, Asim Chaudhry, Dolly Wells, Joe Wilkinson, Mark Heap, Geoff McGivern, Michael Fielding, Samuel Leakey and Kiri Flaherty also star.

THE SIX EPISODE SERIES

follows  Dick Turpin, a real-life 18th century British highwayman. Dick Turpin (Fielding) sets out on a journey of wildly absurd escapades when he's made the reluctant leader of a band of outlaws and tasked with outwitting corrupt lawman and self-appointed thief-taker Jonathan Wilde (Hugh Bonneville). In this irreverent retelling set in the 18th century, Turpin is the most famous but least likely of highway robbers, whose success is defined mostly by his charm, showmanship and great hair. Together with his gang of lovable rogues, Turpin rides the highs and lows of his new endeavors, including a brush with celebrity, all whilst trying to escape the clutches of the thief-taker.

 

DIOR CLASHES WITH CHANEL IN NEW LOOK TV SERIES TRAILER WITH BEN MENDELSOHN, JULIETTE BINOCHE, GLENN CLOSE, JOHN MALKOVICH, EMILY MORTIMER

 THE NEW LOOK TRAILER 

PITS DIOR AGAINST COCO CHANEL

And it is quite a stellar trailer too. Apple TV Plus has issued trailer for their THE NEW LOOK mini series which will start streaming its ten episodes February 14th set in Paris after the Nazi occupation of the French capital when it became the heart of a fashion revival led by Christian Dior (Ben Mendelsohn) but it caused his clash with Coco Chanel (Juliette Binoche) who reigned the fashion world before that. Maisie Williams also stars as Catherine Dior, Emily Mortimer as Elsa Lombardi, John Malkovich as Lucien Lelongand, Claes Bang as Spatz with Glenn Close as one of the lead fashion editors of the time. Our French hunkster Hugo Becker also stars. Cristóbal Balenciaga, Pierre Cardin, Hubert de Givenchy and Pierre Balmain will also be featured as they were their contemporaries. Alex Jennings and our boy Jannis Niewohner also star. The series which opens with three episodes will have modern soundtrack. Check out the trailer below and tell us what you think:

BEN ALDRIDGE, MONICA BELLUCCI, EDUARDO NORIEGA JOIN MARJANE SATRAPI'S NEW MOVIE DEAR PARIS

   DEAR PARIS MOVIE  

ADS BEN ALDRIDGE, MONICA BELLUCCI AND EDUARDO NORIEGA

It is quite a cast: as Variety reports, Persepolis helmer Marjane Satrapi has added our dear Ben Aldridge, Monica Bellucci, Eduardo Noriega, to the cast of her new Studiocanal movie DEAR PARIS a dark comedy set in the French capital where a flurry of charming characters confront death only to embrace life once again. Monica Bellucci stars as a narcissistic Italian opera singer and Rossy De Palma as an eccentric elderly Colombian woman, in the cast that also includes André Dussollier, Alex Lutz, Roschdy Zem, Martina Garcia and Gwendal Marimoutou.

A GUIDE THROUGH EUROPEAN 2024 HISTORICAL AND EPIC SERIES: FROM SPAIN, RUSSIA, FRANCE, HUNGARY, ITALY AND GERMANY

 EURO 2024 EPIC DRAMAS 

BEGUINAS FROM SPAIN

Coming from Spain this historical series follows Lucía de Avellaneda as she celebrates her engagement party with the Marquis of Peñarrosa, but her fiancée receives a letter from a woman claiming to be her mother requesting her to come to her deathbed. Our dear Yon Gonzales plays the lead male role in this 16th century set series done for Atresplayer.

  FRENCH DANGEROUS FRIENDSHIP

Based on a book from Juliette Benzoni this French series will follow a lively duchess (Kelly Depault) who befriends the shy queen of France (Stephanie Gil). The duchess aims to reunite the queen with the aloof King Louis XIII (Jeremy Gillet) by injecting merriment into the staid royal atmosphere, causing controversy at court. The four part series sees Stanley Weber playing her husband duke of Chevreuse!

 

HUNGARIAN RISE OF THE RAVEN  

In this international coproduction, the story revolves around the fearless warrior Janos Hunyadi who defeated the Ottoman Army and defended Europe in 1456 at the battle of Belgrade Female characters include Erzsébet Szilágyi, the wife who stands by him and often fights in his place, and Serbian princess Mara Brankovic, his first love, who then breaks his heart by becoming the lead wife in Sultan Murad's court in order to save her own country. 

 

THE LEOPARD FROM ITALY

Netflix will, meanwhile, bring us the latest TV series adaptation of Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's famous novel! While Sicily is struggling in the turmoil of the Risorgimento in 1860, the Prince of Salina reigns over his family and his possessions, convinced that even these disorders are destined to pass. Kim Rossi Stuart takes the lead role.

HAGEN FROM GERMANY

We have been waiting for this one for a long time now. Our dearest Jannis Niewohner takes a role in the series which is a reinterpretation of the Nibelungen saga centering on Hagen von Tronje, a Viking who allies himself with the ancient gods and takes up arms against an unscrupulous ruler.

AETERNA FROM RUSSIA

After the pilot two years ago Russian Kinopoisk is turning this one into a series. One of the main states of Qertiana is Talig, whose throne was seized by the Ollar dynasty. The rightful heir takes refuge in the city-state of Agaris, where the head of the local church rules. He dreams of one day overthrowing the Ollars and reclaiming the throne that is rightfully his.

 

INDIA'S MOST EXPENSIVE SF EPIC EVER KALKI 2898 REVEALS WORLDWIDE RELEASE DATE

    KALKI 2898 SF EPIC   

RELEASE DATE REVEALED

Kalki hits theatres May this year

I don't often cover Indian movies but this one really looks stunning: earlier last summer a visually magnificent teaser has been released for a secretive project that has been known as Project K but has then been unveiled as KALKI 2898, a fantasy extravaganza starring some of their biggest and most popular stars  Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan and Disha Patani! With the budget of over $75 million, it is, as Variety reports, one of the most expensive movies in India of all times. The worldwide release of the long awaited movie is now set for May 9th!

 

THE STORY FOLLOWS 

a modern-day avatar of Vishnu, a Hindu god, who is believed to have descended to earth to protect the world from evil forces. In Hindu mythology, Kalki is the 10th and final incarnation of the god Vishnu who appears in order to end the Kali Yuga, the darkest period in mankind’s history. The film will be released around the world next May in a number of different languages, including English. Check out the magnificent teaser below:

 

PREMIUM SPOTLIGHT ON PROSPER GLAMOROUS MEGACHURCH FAMILY TV SAGA STARRING RICHARD ROXBURGH, EWEN LESLIE, JACOB COLLINS LEVY! STARTS NEXT WEEK

 PROSPER MEGACHURCH DRAMA

STARTING NEXT WEEK ON STAN

Prosper starts this January on Stan

Well you know that one of your spy's greatest wisdoms is "An Australian series a year and good fun will always be near!" and this Autumn we already had the amazing second season of Newsreader and then Strife which became Binge's biggest hit ever. Both of those have been renewed for new seasons. Australians really never do wrong! Ozzie streamer Stan is now ready to show us their new megachurch series PROSPER an epic family drama that takes a provocative peek behind the curtain of power and privilege. January 18th is the date when the series will start streaming launching the new year in a glamorous style! Check out the dynamic and juicy trailer below the post and tell us will you watch the series?

 

   DIVIDED THEY FALL

 Richard Roxburgh leads the series as Cal Quinn, the founder and globalpastor of fictional Sydney megachurch U Star, and Rebbeca Gibney is Abi Quinn, his wife and worship leader. Their powerful megachurch is one of Australia’s fastest growing and on the precipice of a lucrative American expansion. While the family preaches messages of faith, love and acceptance to thousands of followers, behind closed doors, the they protect shameful secrets. Ewen Leslie is their dutiful eldest son Dion Quinn. Ming-Zhu Hii is his wife, Taryn, and Jacob Collins-Levy is youngest son and rebel with a cause Jed, with Hayley McCarthy as Isabel ​​Kalani, the family’s only daughter and gifted singer-songwriter. Jordi Webber is her hot American husband Benji and Alexander D’Souza plays Moses, Cal and Abi’s adopted son. Lionsgate is handling the sales around the world which means that the series could possibly stream on their Lionsgate Plus channel available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video or their Starz in USA, but we are not sure currently.

 

BELGRAVIA: THE NEXT CHAPTER COSTUME DRAMA FROM DOWNTON ABBEY AND GILDED AGE CREATOR STARTS TOMORROW!

 BELGRAVIA: THE NEXT CHAPTER 

STARTS THIS SUNDAY ON MGM +

Your trusted spy is just reminding you today that tomorrow starts the first big costume drama of the year with BELGRAVIA: THE NEXT CHAPTER opening at MGM + Sunday January 14th! It will

Belgravia starts the next chapter this Sunday

also stream on Binge and Foxtel's Showcase in Australia from Monday. In Europe it will stream on Sky Showtime and on Neon TV in New Zealand. It comes from Julian Fellowes who did Downton Abbey, Gilded Age and the first season of Belgravia a few years ago.

THIS NEW SERIES TELLS

the love story of Frederick Trenchard (Ben Wainwright), who has grown up as the third Lord Trenchard, and his new love interest, Clara Dunn (Harriet Slater), who is a newcomer to London society. Unaware that his birth was the product of an affair between his mother Susan and the scoundrel John Bellasis, a troubled childhood has left Frederick deeply insecure, which challenges his courtship of and marriage to Clara. Edward Bluemel plays Dr. Stephen Ellerby, Toby Regbo is Rev. James Trenchard, Frederick’s estranged brother. Hannah Onslow is Emily Dunn, Clara’s older sister who is attracted to the reverend. Sophie Thompson is Mrs. Dunn, Emily and Clara’s devoted mother. Claude Perron is The Marquise D’Étagnac, a glamorous and highly unconventional French businesswoman, who is introduced to Belgravia by the Duke and Duchess of Rochester (Sophie Winkleman)!