Roland Emmerich will want a sword and shield because his gladiatorial combat project is getting a straight-to-series order at Peacock. The series, To Those About to Die, is based on the non-fiction novel by Daniel Mannix. Presented as a larger-than-life drama, Those About to Die blends the complex, corrupt, and brutal world of gladiatorial sports in Ancient Rome. The series introduces a diverse cast of characters across many layers of Roman society, where sports, politics, and business intersect and collide.
Those About to Die hails from AGC Television and is co-financed by Europe’s High End Productions. Deadline says the budget for the series is around $140 million and that production partners from Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia are expected to enter the arena. Production is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2023 in Italy.
Emmerich is directing and executive producing through Centropolis Entertainment. Robert Rodat, who wrote Saving Private Ryan, will write the script and executive produce. Hollywood Gang’s Gianni Nunnari and Street Entertainment’s Harald Kloser will also executive produce alongside High End’s Oliver Berben, Kloiber, Martin Moszkowicz, and Jonas Bauer. AGC CEO Stuart Ford and Chief Content Officer Lourdes Diaz also executive produce.
Emmerich is no stranger to over-the-top action and elaborate settings. He’s the madman behind movies like Independence Day, 2012, The Day After Tomorrow, and Moonfall, to name a few. Knowing that Emmerich can deliver untold amounts of destruction on-screen, one has to wonder how he’ll apply his skills to brutal combat in Ancient Rome. Who will live or die? What is the prize? Will the combatants face tigers, rhinos, bears, elephants, and giraffes like they did back in the day? I have questions, but we’ll need to wait for answers.
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