NETFLIX ORDERS THE DECAMERON 14TH CENTURY SERIES BASED ON BOCCACCIO'S WORK! BERNARD CORNWELL'S THE WINTER KING WARLORD CHRONICLES TV SERIES ORDERED AT ITVX

 THE DECAMERON SERIES 

ORDERED AT NETFLIX

Netflix has ordered an eight episode series from Jenji Kohan and Kathleen Jordan loosely based on Boccaccio's THE DECAMERON! Set in 1348 when the Black Death, the deadliest pandemic in human history which killed as many as 200 million people, strikes hard in the city of Florence. A handful of nobles are invited to retreat with their servants to a grand villa in the Italian countryside and wait out the pestilence with a lavish holiday. But as social rules wear thin, what starts as a wine-soaked sex romp in the hills of Tuscany descends into an all out scramble for survival. The series examines the timely themes of class systems, power struggles and survival in a time of pandemic with a touch of levity, brought together by a charming and riotous ensemble of characters.

 WARLORD CHRONICLES 

SERIES ORDERED AT ITVX

Back in April I told you that Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles will be turned into a series and now we know it will be over at ITV's streamer ITVX. First book THE WINTER KING will be turned into a ten episode saga loosely based on the legend of King Arthur. Set in 5th century Britain, then still a landscape of warring nations, the story takes place in an era when life was brutal and fleeting. In this setting, a young Arthur Pendragon goes on a journey to become a warrior, which takes him from prodigal son to legendary leader. With Kate Brooke and Ed Whitmore adapting the books and Otto Bathurst directing, the shooting will start later this year. Epix is apparently no longer involved in the project, but the series will also air later on at regular ITV.

SEE A HEARTWARMING AND SPIRITED TRAILER FOR CARMEN MOVIE DRAMA WITH NATASCHA MCELHONE, BILL NIGHY IN PERIOD SET DRAMA LIVING TRAILER

 CARMEN MOVIE TRAILER 

WITH NATASCHA MCELHONE

I don't have much for you today, but what I do have is quite lovely: a trailer for new inspiring and spirited movie drama CARMEN with Natascha McElhone in the

Carmen is out this September in cinemas

lead role and Valerie Buhagiar as the director and writer.

  Out this weekend in Canada and September 23rd in US theatres and on VOD, CARMEN is a charming story, inspired by true events, set in a village in Malta. Carmen has looked after her brother, the priest at the local church, since she was sixteen years old. Now almost fifty, she is suddenly left to start a new life after he passes away and she is no longer needed to dedicate her life to him and the church. Facing her past, Carmen brings colour to the lives of the villagers in this compelling story about a woman finding her voice.

 

 LIVING MOVIE TRAILER 

STARRING BILL NIGHY

We also have a trailer for Bill Nighy's new movie LIVING which is out this Christmas! Set against a post-World War 2 London it follows Williams, an impotent cog within the city’s bureaucracy as it struggles to rebuild. After years of dull work routine and a lonely home, Williams' life has become one that is empty and meaningless. However, things take a turn after Williams receives a life-shattering prognosis. Determined not to let the rest of his life go unfulfilled, Williams decides to make the best of the time he has left.

SEE EMILY BLUNT IN THE ENGLISH WILD WEST SERIES WITH RAFE SPALL, TOM HUGHES, STEPHEN REA, TOBY JONES, CIARAN HINDS! JOSH O'CONNOR, JACK DAVENPORT TO STAR IN SKY'S BONUS TRACK HEARTWARMING MUSICAL MOVIE

  THE ENGLISH SERIES 

FIRST EMILY BLUNT PHOTOS

Well, it has been a very, very long wait, but BBC has finally published first images from their new Western series THE ENGLISH with Emily Blunt in the lead role. Given that it will air in November on BBC Two not One, might it mean it is not good when they moved it to their less watched channel especially given the fact that we waited for years for it to arrive after being announced first? Well let us hope not. Emily Blunt stars in this six episode series as Lady Cornelia Locke and Chaske Spencer as Pawnee ex-cavalry scout Eli Whipp in high-octane western which will also stream on Prime Video in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The series’ acclaimed ensemble cast includes Stephen Rea, Valerie Pachner, Rafe Spall, Tom Hughes, Toby Jones and Ciarán Hinds!

 

   THE ENGLISH TAKES
 the core themes of identity and revenge to tell a uniquely compelling parable on race, love and power. An aristocratic Englishwoman, Lady Cornelia Locke (Emily Blunt) and Eli Whipp (Chaske Spencer) come together in 1890 mid-America to cross a violent landscape built on dreams and blood.Both of them have a clear sense of their destiny but neither is aware that it is rooted in a shared past. They must face increasingly terrifying obstacles that will test them to their cores, physically and psychologically. But as each obstacle is overcome it draws them closer to their ultimate destination, the new town of Hoxem, Wyoming. It is here, after an investigation by the local sheriff Robert Marshall (Stephen Rea) and young widow Martha Myers (Valerie Pachner) into a series of bizarre and macabre unsolved murders, that the full extent of their intertwined history will be truly understood, and they will come face to face with the future they must live.

 

   BONUS TRACK MOVIE  

PUTS JOSH O'CONNOR AND JACK DAVENPORT IN THE CAST

According to Screen Daily, Josh O'Connor has penned new movie BONUS TRACK in which he will also star next to Jack Davenport, Alison Sudol, Susan Wokoma, Ray Pathaki and young Joe Anders and Samuel Small in the lead roles. Set in 2006, the Sky film follows a 16-year-old who believes he is a future star musician, even when no-one else in his small town does. The arrival of the son of a famous musical duo who helps him rehearse for a talent show leads both boys to learn from each other and grow closer.

TEASER AND SEPTEMBER AIR DATE FOR NETFLIX EPIC MINI SERIES THE EMPRESS ON AUSTRIAN KAISERIN SISI REVEALED!

 NETFLIX' THE EMPRESS SERIES

TEASER AND STREAM DATE

Netflix has released the first teaser for streamer's new six part series THE EMPRESS on famous Austrian empress Sisi, which is one of their new German

The Empress arrives September 29th

originals, announcing the streaming date which is September 29th. The series will depict 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. After the wedding, the young empress must assert herself not only against her mother in law, the sovereign, power hungry Sophie, but also against Franz's brother Maxi, who himself longs for the throne (and for Sisi). As enemy troops form up on the borders of the Habsburg Empire, people in Vienna rise up in protest against the emperor. Elisabeth must find out who she can trust and how high the price is to be a true empress and a figure of hope for the people.  Melika Foroutan, Johannes Nussbaum, Almila Bagriacik and Wiebke Puls also star. This series is not to be confused with a much more glamorous Sisi saga that aired last December on German RTL and Epic Drama Channels in Europe and that is coming back with a second season this December. Check out the trailer below and tell us are you royally excited?  Do you think it will be better than rival Sisi series or not? Stay tuned for more photos, I will try to dig out some new ones as the airing date approaches.

WATCH MATTHEW FOX SAVING THE WORLD FROM OIL CRISIS IN LAST LIGHT APOCALYPTIC TV SERIES TRAILER WITH TOM WLASCHIHA ARRIVING THIS SEPTEMBER

  LAST LIGHT TRAILER  

FOR NEW PEACOCK SERIES

Among the new series that September is bringing to us together with the new season is LAST LIGHT apocalyptic five episode series based on Alex Scarrow’s novel about a family fighting to survive during the fallout of an oil crisis. It will premiere on September 8th on Peacock with Matthew Fox in the lead role alongside Tom Wlaschiha. 

 

   THE SERIES FOLLOWS
petro-chemist Andy (Matthew Fox) who knows how dependent the world is on oil. It’s while he’s on a business trip to the Middle East that he realizes something is wrong with the world’s oil supply, and that sets off a chain reaction: transportation grinds to a halt and law enforcement becomes overwhelmed. Andy’s teenage eco-warrior daughter is alone in London while his wife, Elena (Joanna Froggatt), and young disabled son are in Paris. Amid the chaos, each member of the family will sacrifice everything to find one another, despite the distance and the dangers that separate them. Plus, while trying to solve the source of the crisis, Andy is confronted with his past role in trying to make a greener world.

SEE RICCARDO SCAMARCIO, LOUIS GARREL, ISABELLE HUPPERT IN HISTORICAL BIOPIC CARAVAGGIO'S SHADOW FROM MICHELE PLACIDO

 CARAVAGGIO'S SHADOW 

1ST POSTER & RELEASE DATE

The movie is out this November in Italy

Beside Leonardo that you can watch this month on CW and a movie on Dante that is arriving next month, there is another famous Italian artist getting a big screen treatment this year. You can expect a historical biopic on legendary painter Caravaggio in CARAVA- GGIO'S SHADOW (L'ombra di Caravaggio) which is set to arrive to cinemas November 3rd in Italy directed by their famous acting legend Michele Placido with Riccardo Scamarcio in the title role and French star Louis Garrel as his shadow. Isabelle Huppert also stars as Costanza Sforza Colonna!

 

THIS HISTORICAL DRAMA

depicts the struggles of the notorious Renaissance painter as he's investigated by the Vatican. Italy 1610. Michelangelo Merisi (Scarmarcio), better known as Caravaggio, ignores Catholic Church rulings that dictate how religious subjects are to be represented. Having been informed that he depicts prostitutes, thieves and vagabonds in his work, Pope Paul V orders the Vatican secret service to investigate, to decide whether to grant the clemency for which Caravaggio has petitioned since being sentenced to death for the murder of a rival in love. The investigator (Garrel) – known as The Shadow - begins the inquiry that will lead him to discover the conflicting vices and virtues of the artist whose life – or death – lies in his hands.

A HUNT ON ROMAN EMPEROR'S TREASURE IN CONSTANTINE'S CROSSING EPIC TV SERIES COMING FROM SERBIA

 CONSTANTINE'S CROSSING 

NEW EPIC TV SERIES

After their series Besa and Black Wedding have scored streaming on Amazon and Australian SBS and upcoming sf series Block 27 has scored

The book is also out in English on Amazon

international distribution through Beta, we can expect another Serbian series coming from Firefly Productions. Their next project is super ambitions and expensive ten episode adaptation of CONSTANTINE'S CROSSING novel from Serbia's bestselling author and king of historical adventures Dejan Stojiljkovic. We first mentioned the possible adaptation some ten years ago of this supernatural World War II story about the Nazis’ hunt for powerful relics that once belonged to the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. As Variety reports, the lavish period drama will boast Indiana Jones - style action elements! This huge project will have production design done by legendary Miljen Kreka Kljakovic, a César and European Film Award winner! Next March Firefly is opening their own massive new studios near Belgrade.

SEE WILLIAM MOSELEY AS EDGAR ALLAN POE IN PERIOD SET MYSTERY HORROR MOVIE RAVEN'S HOLLOW ARRIVING THIS SEPTEMBER

 RAVEN'S HOLLOW TRAILER 

WITH WILLIAM MOSELEY

Raven's Hollow flies in this September

I know Halloween is still far away, but if you happen to be in the mood for something spooky, today's spotlight is just your thing: today I am bringing you a trailer for RAVEN'S HOLLOW period set horror movie which will have its world premiere at Fright Fest in UK August 27th before streaming on AMC's horror oriented streamer Shudder from September 22nd. Our dearest William Moseley leads the movie inspired by an incident in the life of American mystery writer Edgar Allan Poe when he was a West Point military cadet in 1830. Callum Woodhouse from The Durrells and All Creatures Great and Small also stars.

THE STORY OF RAVEN'S HOLLOW 

West Point military Cadet Edgar Allan Poe and four other cadets on a training exercise in upstate New York come upon a man eviscerated on a bizarre wooden rack. His dying words direct them to a forgotten community, which they believe is guarding sinister secrets. Enthralled by the Innkeeper's beautiful and mysterious daughter Charlotte and fueled by the town resident's refusal to speak to the murder, Poe determines to uncover the truth. Risking his life and more, Poe ultimately comes face to face with the terror that will haunt him forever. You can check out the frightening trailer for the movie below and tell us what you think: will you give it a go or a miss?

ROSALINE 16TH CENTURY ITALY SET MOVIE ABOUT ROMEO'S ORIGINAL GIRLFRIEND STREAMING DATE AND PHOTOS REVEALED! SAM WORTHINTGON, SIENNA MILLER CAST IN KEVIN COSTNER'S HISTORICAL EPIC HORIZON

  COSTNER'S HORIZON  

 CASTS SAM WORTHINGTON

Kevin Costner's passion project historical epic movie HORIZON, envisioned as a three part saga, has just added Sam Worthington, Sienna Miller and Jamie Campbell Bower to the cast of the film spanning 15 years of pre- and post-Civil War expansion and settlement of the American West. Experienced through the eyes of many, the epic journey is fraught with peril and intrigue from the constant onslaught of natural elements to the interactions with the Indigenous peoples who lived on the land and the determination and at many times ruthlessness of those who sought to settle it.

 

  ROSALINE STREAMING DATE  

Rosaline will arrive this October

AND 1ST PHOTOS UN- VEILED

Beside Serpent Queen and Dangerous Liaisons, another costume drama that Autumn is bringing us is ROSALINE, a period set movie arriving to Hulu and Disney's Star channels around the world from October 14th starring Last Man Standing's Kaitlyn Dever as Romeo's (Kyle Allen) original girlfriend and Juliet's (Isabela Merced) cousin. Sean Teale, godawful Minnie Driver and Bradley Whitford also star in this movie adaptation of When You Were Mine bestselling novel by Rebecca Serle which had a number of previous adaptation plans before.

NEW MOVIE ROSALINE 

 directed by Karen Maine, is a romantic comedy told from the perspective of Juliet’s cousin Rosaline (Dever), who also happens to be Romeo’s recent love interest. Heartbroken when Romeo (Kyle Allen) meets Juliet (Isabela Merced) and begins to pursue her, Rosaline schemes to foil the famous romance and win back her guy.

SEE LESLEY MANVILLE, TOM WLASCHIHA IN STARZ 'DANGEROUS LIAISONS' PERIOD SET TV SERIES TEASER! 1ST PICS FROM ARABIA'S MOST EXPENSIVE EPIC TV SERIES EVER RISE OF THE WITCHES! THE AWOKEN DYSTOPIAN NOVEL TO BECOME TV SERIES ABOUT CRYOGENICS

 RISE OF THE WITCHES 

SAUDI EPIC TV SERIES 

Well, twas a long time we had anything from Arabia here, so let us correct that with first photos from new Saudi epic TV series RISE OF THE WITCHES their most ambitious and expensive show ever from MBC Studios. Based on the best-selling Saudi mythology books by Osamah Almuslim, the series, set in ancient Arabia, tells the story of an epic war between two rival witch covens, led by Afsaar and Da’ja’a. Growing up in a world dominated by male magicians who want to prevent women from having any access to magical powers (so kinda the opposite of misandrist Wheel of Time), both witches secretly learn the arts and go on to form their own groups in order to protect themselves and gain power. Ida AlKusay and Sumaya Rida. lead the ten part saga which will stream on pan Arabic streamer Shahid.

 

  THE AWOKEN DYSTOPIA  

TO BECOME A TV SERIES

The Awoken novel is out this week

Speaking of fantasy, Keshet Studios has bought TV series rights on Katelyn Monroe Howes' dystopian novel THE AWOKEN which is out this week at Penguin Random House. When Alabine Rivers, a politically active young woman with a bright career and romance ahead of her, discovers she has terminal cancer, the only thing that gives her solace is the possibility of a second life through the emerging field of cryogenics. A century later, scientists have discovered how to bring the cryogenically frozen back to life, but humanity is locked in a philosophical battle over the ethics of this new God-like power, a battle that has turned violent: those who are resurrected, the Awoken, have been declared illegal and are to be shot on sight. Which means here very life is now a crime!

 STARZ' DANGEROUS LIAISONS 

AIR DATE AND TRAILER

Meanwhile, Starz has unveiled today the first teaser and air date for their eight part TV series version of DANGEROUS LIAISONS which will

The series arrives this November

arrive November 6th starring Alice Englert, Nicholas Denton, Lesley Manville, and Tom Wlaschiha. The series is a bold prelude of Laclos’ classic 18th century novel focusing on the origin story of how his iconic characters, the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont, met as passionate young lovers in Paris on the eve of the revolution. This modern take on a classic story takes audiences through wonder and terror, beauty and degradation, seduction and deception in pre-revolutionary Paris. Driven to right the wrongs of their past, the young couple’s survival depends on their skills of seduction and manipulation of not only the French nobility but of each other. Alice Englert and Nicholas Denton portray the notorious lovers: Camille who is taken in by the current Marquise de Merteuil (Lesley Manville) navigates her own path in a world of men, using the power of secrets to take back control, and Valmont who will stop at nothing to regain his title that was recently taken from him. Their on- again off-again love story is the heart of the series. It’s not love… it’s war. I must admit those two youngsters look terribly dull and miscast to me, no passion nor talent in them.