Disaster films are his specialty, but now Roland Emmerich is focusing on gladiators and history. Sir Anthony Hopkins is at his side in his first streaming series – as the ruler of Rome.
Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins (86) has brilliantly portrayed important figures such as Pablo Picasso, Alfred Hitchcock, Pope Benedict and Richard Nixon. Roland Emmerich (68) is the director behind disaster blockbusters such as “Independence Day” and “The Day After Tomorrow”. Now both stars are joining forces. Will it work?
With the brilliant historical series “Those About To Die” (start: July 19th on Prime Video) about power games, corruption, gladiator fights and horse-drawn chariot races in ancient Rome, Emmerich shows a different side. “I am very interested in history. I am a history man,” the Hollywood director told the German Press Agency during an interview on the set in the Cinecittà film studios in Rome. “People don’t change that much. It’s always about envy. Many of the things we describe here are still relevant today,” says the Stuttgart native.
With toga and laurel wreath
The British Sir Hopkins easily takes on the imposing figure of the Roman Emperor Vespasian. With a white toga and golden laurel wreath, the 86-year-old sets the tone in Emmerich’s Rome in 79 AD. “Nothing is more important than our beloved Rome,” explains the emperor in a city marked by brutal power struggles, bitter poverty and bloody gambling.
Hopkins was easy to persuade for the role. Filming in Rome and a “fantastic” directing duo – he said yes straight away. In an interview with dpa, the Brit raves about the vision and craftsmanship that Emmerich and his directing colleague Marco Kreuzpaintner (47, “Krabat”, “The Collini Case”) displayed. Both have directed five episodes each of the ten-part series.
For him, it was easy work, says Hopkins, smiling. “I actually only had to play a strong and strict father who keeps his two sons under control, because there was jealousy and one of them wanted to gain power.” The bitter conflict between the two emperor’s sons Titus and Domitian, played by the Brits Tom Hughes (“The Secret of a Life”) and Jojo Macari (“Sex Education”), is just one of countless storylines.
Variety and spectacular fights
Emmerich has transported a colorful mixture of characters with their suffering, love affairs, bloodlust and tests of strength to ancient Rome. There, slaves, patricians, gladiators and charioteers fight daily for more power or for survival. The situation in the city is tense – the population is to be kept happy with food distribution and spectacular competitions.
The merchant Cala (Sara Martins), who comes from Nubia, wants to save her children who have been kidnapped and taken to Rome. Her son Kwame (Moe Hashim) fights as a gladiator, and her two daughters were sold as slaves. The greedy Tenax, played by Iwan Rheon (“Game of Thrones”), runs a betting business for the chariot races, and four powerful and corrupt patrician factions control these games. The Colosseum is built specifically for the gladiator fights on the orders of the emperor, in order to entertain the masses with brutal fights and sporting competitions.
Brutal scenes and sex
Emmerich follows the example of the ancient Romans. With merciless brutality, explicit sex scenes and breakneck chariot races, he goes all out and serves up a thrilling spectacle. “The masses demanded entertainment, didn’t they?” the director posted meaningfully with a series trailer on Instagram.
For many scenes with historical backdrops, he used a huge screen with a virtual background. The images are powerful, from the eruption of Vesuvius with ash raining down on Rome to the water fight in the artificially flooded Colosseum. Giant crocodiles eat their victims, and lions and rhinos are also let loose on gladiators. Not for the squeamish.
Historical template
“Those About To Die” is not completely historically accurate, but the series is based on the non-fiction book of the same name by US author Daniel Mannix from 1958. The script was written by Robert Rodat (“Saving Private Ryan”, Thor – The Dark World).
For Anthony Hopkins, this is not just a long-ago story of the world, but a current issue. “The entire history of mankind is accompanied by horrific violence and political intrigue. Political brainwashing is everywhere today. Free speech is restricted, dictatorships are emerging.”
Revival of the sandal films
Last year, filming took almost nine months. “It was harder than a movie,” says Emmerich. “I shot my last film in 61 days. This one took about 230 days. It becomes routine, but then you get a second wind. The last two months were great fun.”
It remains to be seen whether viewers will be interested in seeing lots of gladiator battles. In just four months, the epic film “Gladiator 2” by director Ridley Scott (86) will be on the big screen. Emmerich has no problem with the revival of the sandal films. “I’ve seen “Gladiator,” “Spartacus,” “Ben Hur.” I liked “Gladiator” the most. I think it comes in waves. Sometimes there’s time for this, sometimes for that. Themes come and go. But this is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. I like the competition.”
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
