PREMIUM SPOTLIGHT ON FRENCH PERIOD SET SERIES ADVENTURES OF YOUNG VOLTAIRE ABOUT THE YOUNG EXCITING DAYS OF THE FAMOUS PHILOSOPHER

 THE ADVENTURES OF YOUNG VOLTAIRE SERIES WELCOMES  

 U TO 18TH CENTURY FRANCE

I announced this one back in January when I did our planetary famous spotlight on all the epic series we can expect this year, but ADVENTURES

Voltaire aired at France 2 back in February

OF YOUNG VOLTAIRE (Les aventures du jeune Voltaire) have aired in France in the meantime, back in late February, so here is the trailer for you to see what you missed. Thomas Soliveres plays famous philosopher and writer in his younger days while Bernard Le Coq plays the older version. Most of the four episode series was shot in Château de Chantilly! 

The story of young Voltaire 

How does one become Voltaire? The giant of Thought, the master of Blasphemy, whose battles will give birth to the French Revolution? This is the subject of this mini-series. People of France know a lot about the venerable philosopher, a

The series had to stop shooting during corona outbreak

refugee in Ferney, but they don't know much about the young man he was. Commoner, the future Voltaire will shake up all the social and religious conventions of his time. Put in Bastille twice, exiled in England,

Thomas Soliveres plays the famous philosopher in his youth

historiographer of Louis XV, hated by the Court of France, millionaire at 40 thanks to speculation. Voltaire wants everything: glory, women and money!

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE TO PLAY GONG SHOW HOST AND SECRET ASSASSIN CHUCK BARRIS IN APPLE TV SHOW! LONGER NEW TRAILER FOR ANCIENT ROME SET SERIES DOMINA WITH KASIA SMUTNIAK, MATTHEW MCNULTY, BEN BATT, LIAM CUNNINGHAM

  JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE TO PLAY  

GONG SHOW HOST CHUCK BARRIS

Justin Timberlake will take the lead role

In a new untitled TV series which would mark his return to Apple TV after the critically acclaimed Palmer movie. As Deadline reports, the series will be based on Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, a 1984 memoir in which Barris made suspect claims that being the zany Gong Show host and creator of game shows like The Dating Game and The Newlywed Game was cover for his real job: CIA assassin who took out enemies of the state in the 1960s and 1970s! The book was already adapted into a movie a few years ago under George Clooney's helm, but now it will become an hour long television series.

  NEW DOMINA TRAILER  

FOR ROME SET EPIC SERIES

Sky Italia has released a new longer trailer for eight episode saga DOMINA which will air this May in Italy and June in Germany with UK date still not yet

Domina will probably arrive next month

announced but possibly also coming in May. The series will see Kasia Smutniak play the lead role in the story following the life and the extraordinary rise of Livia Drusilla, the mother of the emperor Tiberius, who overcame adversity to become the most powerful woman in the world! Matthew McNulty as future emperor of Rome Gaius, Ben Batt as Agrippa, Lex Schrapnel, Liam Cunningham, Claire Forlani and Isabella Rossellini also star in the new saga! It follows Livia’s journey from a naïve young girl whose world crumbles in the wake of Julius Caesar’s assassination, to Rome’s most powerful and influential Empress, driven by a deep desire to avenge her father and secure power for her sons.

Matthew McNulty is future emperor Gaius of Rome

Livia and her peers navigate their way through a brutal society by means of strategy, conspiracy, seduction and murder. Check out the longer Italian trailer below.

SAM WORTHINGTON, SULLIVAN STAPLETON, MIRANDA OTTO, RICHARD ROXBURGH TO LEAD AUSTRALIAN FIRES TV SERIES! WOMAN IN THE WINDOW TRAILER WITH AMY ADAMS, GARY OLDMAN, JULIANNE MOORE

   OZ TV SERIES FIRES CASTS   

SAM WORTHINGTON, SULLIVAN STAPLETON, RICHARD ROXBURGH

It will really be an all star Australian cast: their broadcaster ABC and Tony Ayres, who created Cate Blanchett's Stateless series, are preparing a new six part series FIRES inspired by extraordinary accounts from people who survived the catastrophic fire season in Australia of late 2019 and early 2020! Sam Worthington, Richard Roxburgh, Sullivan Stapleton,

Sam Worthington, Sullivan Stapleton, Richard Roxburgh, Miranda Otto

Miranda Otto, Hunter Page Lochard, Anna Torv, Kate Box, Helana Sawires, Daniel Henshall  and Noni Hazlehurst will all star together with Eliza Scanlen! Fires is a series about ordinary people, caught in the unimaginable, and the ways they came together in the face of a devastating natural disaster.Each episode is based around a different community and drawn from reports of ordinary people and the difficult choices they were forced to make.

 

    WOMAN IN THE WINDOW    

TRAILER WITH AMY ADAMS

The movie is finally out May 14th!

If you think you will be in the mood for some spooky thrillers this May, WOMAN IN THE WINDOW will stream over at Netflix May 14th with Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gary Oldman, Anthony Mackee in the Joe Wright directed movie based on an A.J. Finn's novel.  Anna Fox (Amy Adams) feels safest when she’s watching the world from behind her window. Until the Russell family moves in across the street, and she witnesses something unimaginable. The question is...what really happened? Check out the trailer below and tell us what you think!

ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL ADS CAST FOR THE SECOND SEASON! VINCENT CASSEL IS CESAR, MARION COTILLARD CLEOPATRA IN ASTERIX AND OBELIX: THE MIDDLE KINGDOM

NEW ASTERIX & OBELIX MOVIE

ADS CAST TO MIDDLE KINGDOM

And it will be shot in France and Morocco instead of China as planned, but ASTERIX AND OBELIX: THE MIDDLE KINGDOM, the fifth film in the popular French comedy franchise will have Guillaume Canet as Asterix, Gilles Lellouche as Obelix (this time Gérard Depardieu won’t portray

Marion Cotillard and Vincent Cassel will take the royal roles

Obelix), Vincent Cassel as Cesar, Marion Cotillard as Cleopatra and Jonathan Cohen as Finalthesis. Meanwhile, soccer star Zlatan Ibrahimovic will appear as Antivirus. Manu Payet will be a character with a delightful name of Ri Qi Qi lol. Pierre Richard will be PanoramixThe film has a 60 million euro massive budget!

 

ALL CREATURES GREAT & SMALL

ADS CAST FOR SEASON TWO

Since Diana Rigg died, the role of eccentric Mrs Pumphrey, famous for her spoilt Pekingese, Tricki Woo, will now go to Patricia Hodge. ALL

Patricia Hodge is taking over Rigg's role

CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, set in the 1930s Yorkshire Dales, will see Nicholas Ralph return as young country vet James Herriot, Samuel West as his boss Siegfried Farnon, Anna Madeley as their housekeeper, Callum Woodhouse as Siegfried’s errant brother Tristan Farnon and Rachel Shenton as James' love interest. Matthew Lewis whom she was supposed to marry will also return. Also joining the cast are Dorothy Atkinson as Diana Brompton, whose vivacious nature captures Siegfried Farnon’s eye at the local Church Hall Dance, and James Fleet as Colonel Merrick, an impressive military man and local farmer. The second

The second season will also have a Christmas special like last year

season will also have six regular episodes and plus a festive Christmas one at Channel 5 and PBS Masterpiece. The series is currently shooting in United Kingdom.

STARZ PUTS CATHERINE DE MEDICI'S CROWN ON SAMANTHA MORTON'S HEAD IN THE SERPENT QUEEN EPIC TV SERIES!

 SERPENT QUEEN EPIC SERIES

CROWNS SAMANTHA MORTON AS CATHERINE DE MEDICI!

Just a month ago I announced the project that Starz is doing on famous Catherine de Medici and now they have set Samantha Morton as THE SERPENT QUEEN

Samantha Morton will take the lead role in the series

herself! The eight episode saga will be a cunning account of one of the most influential women ever to wear a crown. Considered an immigrant, common and plain, Catherine de Medici is married into the 16th century French court as an orphaned teenager expected to bring a fortune in dowry and produce many heirs, only to discover that her husband is in love with an older woman, her dowry is unpaid and she’s unable to conceive. Yet, only with her intelligence and determination, she manages to keep her marriage alive and masters the bloodsport that is the monarchy better than anyone else, ruling France for 50

Catherine de Medici inspecting the streets of Paris after the infamous Bartholomew's Night in which thousands of Huguenots were butchered.

years. Based on a book by Leonie Frieda, the series will also stream on Starzplay around the world. Samantha has already played Queen Mary of Scotland on the big screen.

ZDF AND CBC PRESENT GLAMOROUS NEW MYSTERY DRAMA WHITE NIGHT ABOUT A COSMETICS EMPIRE MOGUL'S DEATH SPANNING DECADES

  WHITE NIGHT TV SERIES  

CANADIAN GLAMOROUS MYSTERY 

Well, we haven't had a lot of Canadian projects announced here, but this one sounds interesting and German ZDF has just bought world sales rights on it, so the world might see it as well. WHITE NIGHT will be an eight episode series from CBC, Canadian broadcaster. In 1970, a pivotal encounter with her soon to be mentor, Aidrian Flanagan, allows Louise Hébert (Rose Marie Perreault) to become a supermodel and eventually launch her first perfume,

Jean Philippe Perras, France Castel, Rose Marie Perreault will star

White Night, whose success sparks the creation of her cosmetics empire, Nocturne. Often out of necessity, but most of the time by choice, Louise has given up certain ideals over the years to become a formidable businesswoman of the 21st century. In the modern day, after a reception hailing her achievements, Loulou (France Castel will play her in older age) is found dead, alone, in her garden. Accident, murder or worst, suicide? Her heirs – and the audience – will wrestle with that question as her children fight to maintain the family company. Jean-Philippe Perras will also star.

A TRUE STORY OF NORWEGIAN CROWN PRINCESS AND AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT IN WW2 SERIES ATLANTIC CROSSING AIRING ON PBS WITH KYLE MACLAHLAN, SOFIA HELIN

  ATLANTIC CROSSING SERIES 

ARRIVES TO MASTERPIECE

Atlantic Crossing airs Sundays on PBS

We've written about this one for years and it has now finally arrived to PBS Masterpiece where it aired its first episode last night and will continue with other seven every Sunday after already airing in some of the European countries. Coming from our favourite Beta Film ATLANTIC CROSSING, based on the true story of Norwegian Crown Princess Martha, who fights to save her country, offers a unique and never before seen perspective on the tragic events of World War II! Check out the preview trailer below and tell us what you think.

STORY OF ATLANTIC CROSSING

When the Nazis invade her country, the Norwegian Crown Princess Martha (Sofia Helin) makes a narrow escape and seeks refuge in the United States. Soon, she develops a close relationship with President Franklin D. Roosevelt

The story of the series spans more than seven years

(Kyle MacLachlan), which turns into deep affection. Martha tries hard to convince him to help save her country and Europe from the Nazis. But Roosevelt does not want to alienate his voters, who are strongly opposed to

Sofia Helin and Kyle MacLahlan lead the cast of the series

being drawn into the war. Martha realizes she must step out of her overprotected way of life and influence the public. ATLANTIC CROSSING sheds light on life behind the walls of the White House and on the unconventional marriage of Franklin and Eleonor, which had been subject to countless rumors.

APRIL 2021 NEW MYSTERY TV SERIES: CHANNEL 5'S INTRUDER AND ITV'S THRILLER TOO CLOSE WITH EMILY WATSON

     INTRUDER TV SERIES   

A DARK MURDER COVER UP

Two new mystery thriller dramas are arriving to the small screens this month: first up INTRUDER which will launch at Channel 5 April 5th, tomorrow, and then air the rest of the episodes next three days. The story of

Intruder will air in four episodes starting Monday

the four episode drama will be exploring the dark and devastating aftermath of an attempted burglary at a luxurious home on the coast.

 

  INTRUDER TV SERIES STARS

Elaine Cassidy and Tom Meeten as an affluent couple living in a small seaside town, who are targeted by two local teenagers looking to make a quick 

Sally Lindsay plays Family Liaisons officer in the series

buck However, the break-in takes a dark turn when one of the youths winds up dead and an elaborate cover-up is staged to make the killing appear to be

Elaine Cassidy also stars in the four part drama

self-defence. Over the course of its four-episode run, viewers will find out whether this morally bankrupt couple can make their lies stick or whether the truth will come out and tear their world apart. 

   TOO CLOSE TV SERIES   

AT ITV WITH EMILY WATSON

Rival ITV is also launching a mystery series this month: Monday, April 12th is the start date for three part drama TOO CLOSE in which Emily Watson plays forensic psychiatrist Dr Emma Robertson, who is assigned to work with Connie Mortensen, a woman accused of a heinous crime but who

Too Close three part drama starts April 12th, Monday on ITV

claims she can’t remember a thing. Dr Robertson is not easily shocked. She’s worked with her fair share of high security patients. However, when she’s sent to assess Connie for trial the two women become dangerously close. Connie has a searing insight into Emma’s deepest insecurities and starts to brutally exploit them. Their sessions become a complex psychological game with

Emily Watson takes the lead role in Too Close thriller series

confusing undercurrents. Emma tries to understand Connie and her complicated relationship with her beautiful best friend, Ness Jones, which seems to have made her snap. But as Emma tries to uncover the truth and learn what triggered Connie’s despicable behaviour, it seems that her attempts to see justice done may destroy her instead.

Brand new psychological drama TOO CLOSE starts on ITV, 9pm on April 12th for 3 consecutive nights with ANDREA EDWARDS (@andyedjones) & GINA FILLINGHAM (@ginafillingham) as Justine & Carol Baker.#DeniseGough #EmilyWatson #ITVDrama #ITV @KRJCastingLtd pic.twitter.com/uFtflEC0xH

— The Narrow Road Co (@thenarrowroadco) April 2, 2021

NEW BOOK ADAPTATIONS: KATE QUINN'S WW2 NOVEL THE ROSE CODE TO BECOME TV SERIES, PAUL MCAULEY'S SF NOVEL AUSTRAL TO BECOME POST APOCALYPTIC EPIC TV SHOW

  THE ROSE CODE NOVEL  

TO BECOME A TV SERIES

Two small screen book adaptations for you today: first up, Kate Quinn's historical novel THE ROSE CODE will be developed into a TV series by Black Bear Pictures. The book which is currently at the top of New York

The Rose Code was published last month

Times bestseller list tells the World War II story of three female code breakers at Bletchley Park! As England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to a mysterious country estate, Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes. Through their friendship, these women find the strength to survive war, loss, heartbreak, and the impossible pressure of secrecy. Navigating two distinct timelines, the novel is blend of history, romance, friendship, espionage and mystery, all with the life-or-death stakes and ticking clock of World War II. Quinn's The Alice Network is also being turned into a TV series over at Warner Bros.

    SF NOVEL AUSTRAL    

TO BECOME SF TV SERIES

Award winning author Paul McAuley’s acclaimed science fiction novel AUSTRAL is getting an epic series adaptation from Circle of Confusion Television

Austral will be shot over in Norway

Studios and ITV Studios’ Big Talk Productions according to Variety. It is an expansive drama set in Antarctica during the year 2098, decades after the melting glaciers have given way to a new frontier of resource rich land, and a generation of settlers from all around the dying world have converged there. But for Austral Ferrado, one of a number of “huskies,” or people who have been gene edited to better withstand the still unforgiving climate of the far south, this new Antarctica is no paradise. Trapped in a society that has imprisoned her and treated her kind more as animals than humans, Austral will stop at nothing to gain her freedom. Stay tuned for casting news.

COLIN FIRTH TO PLAY A MURDEROR IN HBO MAX MINI SERIES THE STAIRCASE! KELVIN HARRISON JR TO LEAD 18TH CENTURY FRENCH COURT SET MOVIE CHEVALIER DE SAINT GEORGES

    COLIN FIRTH TO LEAD   

HBO THE STAIRCASE TV SERIES

Colin Firth will lead new HBO Max mini series

Which will be a TV series adaptation of the same documentary movie which was a huge mainstream hit. In HBO Max series THE STAIRCASE, Colin Firth will play Michael Peterson, the man convicted of murdering his wife, Kathleen Peterson. The story follows Michael, a crime novelist accused of killing his wife Kathleen after she is found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home, and the 16-year judicial battle that followed. Michael, a local public figure and successful novelist, quickly became the prime suspect and was convicted.

 

 CHEVALIER DE SAINT GEORGES 

KELVIN HARRISON JR TO LEAD NEW 18TH CENTURY SET MOVIE

As Variety reports Searchlight Pictures has cast Kelvin Harrison Jr in the lead role in their period set drama CHEVALIER DE SAINT GEORGES which will be directed by Stephen Williams. Born in 1745 in the French Caribbean, De Saint Georges was the illegitimate son of an African slave and a

Kelvin Harrison Jr will play Chevalier de Saint Georges

French plantation owner. He rose to improbable heights in French society, dazzling as both a violinist and composer, and a champion fencer. An ill-fated love affair with a French noblewoman, and a falling out with Marie Antoinette and her court led to his untimely downfall.