Yahoo News Roland Emmerich’s Gladiator Series ‘Those About to Die’ to Be Distributed in Eastern Europe by Eccho Rights
International distributor Eccho Rights will be handling first window sales throughout Central and Eastern Europe on the Roland Emmerich-directed ancient Rome series “Those About to Die,” starring Anthony Hopkins as as Emperor Vespasian.
The Stockholm-headquartered Eccho Rights – which is owned by German investment and co-production outfit Night Train Media, headed by Herbert L. Kloiber – will be launching regional sales at the NATPE Budapest market later this month on the hotly anticipated 10-episode gladiator show.
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The first season of “Those About to Die” is set to drop July 18 on Peacock in the U.S., as previously announced. The show is a Peacock Original and the streamer’s biggest budget production to date.
Eccho Rights will also be handling second window sales on “Those About to Die” in several unspecified Western European territories, according to a statement. An Eccho rep declined to specify on which Western European territories they have the second window rights.
Along with Hopkins, “Those About to Die” stars Iwan Rheon (“Game of Thrones”) as Tenax; Tom Hughes (“The English,” “Victoria”) as Titus Flavianus; Sara Martins (“Tell No One,” “Death in Paradise”) as Cala; Gabriella Pession (“Crossing Lines”) as Antonia; and Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson (“Game of Thrones”) as Viggo.
The series is set in Rome in 79 AD, where the heirs to the empire, Titus (Hughes) and Domitian (Macari), are vying for the throne soon to be vacated by their elderly father Vespasian (Hopkins). “As tensions mount, everyone’s fates hinge on the intense races and deadly games at the Circus Maximus and Flavian Amphitheatre, where the scheming and corrupt bookmaker Tenax (Rheon), holds sway over Rome’s future,” according to the provided synopsis.
“This is a landmark series, and both in front of and behind the camera, we have a team of extraordinary talent and experience, making this a unique opportunity for buyers looking to bring Hollywood-scale production to their viewers,” Kloiber said in a statement.
The show is directed by Emmerich and Marco Kreuzpaintner, who helmed five episodes each. “Those About to Die” was shot almost entirely at Rome’s Cinecittà Studios. It is being produced by Stuart Ford’s AGC Studios, High End Productions, Street Entertainment, Hollywood Gang and Centropolis Entertainment.
Executive producers on the series are Emmerich; Harald Kloser (“2012”); Gianni Nunnari (“300”); Herbert G. Kloiber; Martin Moszkowicz; Oliver Berben, and Jonas Bauer for High End Productions; Stuart Ford, Lourdes Diaz, Charles Holland and Miguel A. Palos Jr. for AGC Studios; Marco Kreuzpaintner, Robert Rodat and Namit Malhotra.
As previously announced, “Those About to Die” will debut exclusively on Prime Video in Germany, the U.K., France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Ireland, Poland, Turkey, Andorra, Monaco, Luxembourg and Belgium.
European rights are being handled by High End Productions, the joint venture set up by Kloiber and Germany’s Constantin Film. AGC Studios holds rights for the rest of the world.
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