“These About To Die”, a sequence between the Olympics and “Sport of Thrones”

(AFP) – A form of “Sport of Thrones” stuffed with chariot races and gladiator fights: that is what number of critics will summarize the sequence “These About To Die”, a brand new epic on directed by Roland Emmerich.

This cleaning soap opera about historical Rome with Anthony Hopkins within the position of Emperor Vespasian is stuffed with lust and violence, with a world of bloody conflicts and decadent orgies.

To the purpose, for a lot of, has established a connection between the Colosseum of the sequence and Westeros, the fictional continent of “Sport of Thrones”. A comparability that isn’t all the time made in flattering phrases.

However Mr. Emmerich, a German director who notably signed the identify “Independence Day” and “The Day After”, embraces his victory and lives solely in his toga.

“It was an inspiration” for his first have a look at tv, saying he was “glad” with the comparability to the HBO fantasy sequence.

“The aim was to make the sequence as massive as potential and embrace much more motion,” he insists.

“These About To Die” options the emperor performed by Hopkins in his final days, compelled to decide on an inheritor from amongst his two sons: Titus, a brand new army normal, and Domitian, a strategic politician.

However many of the motion takes place contained in the Circus Maximus and the Colosseum, the place the Roman underworld gathers to guess on chariot races and battles.

– sequence “sports activities” –

In Rome at first of a brand new revolution, hungry residents assault the imperial household. So to create diversion, the authorities manage thrilling sports activities video games to entertain the individuals.

“It is mainly a sports activities sequence,” the filmmaker continued. “There are moments the place the characters develop their narrative arcs, and the drama, however we principally cope with the passion that comes from sports activities,” he mentioned.

Logically, this Amazon sequence is subsequently broadcast on the Peacock platform in america, which belongs to the official broadcaster of the Olympic Video games, NBC. In France, it landed on Amazon Prime final week.

The manufacturing additionally selected the Comedian-Con pageant, which might be held this week in California, when the Paris Olympic Video games start on Friday, to launch a serious advertising and marketing coup.

In San Diego, which hosts this excessive mass of popular culture, Peacock has utterly reproduced the Circus Maximus, a Roman area that hosted chariot races, on a smaller scale.

The curious, divided into 5 competing groups, can take turns to take management of small tanks, propelled by mechanical horses.

“Residents of Rome, what an excellent race to date!” shouts an actor in a toga, on this monitor that deserves a sports activities truthful.

The attraction was a pure match for the decor of the big Comedian-Con, which attracts round 130,000 individuals every year and is as widespread for its ardour for comics as it’s for such a occasion. .

– “Certain towards me!” –

Regardless of this circus organized for the sequence, there was one notable absence on the press convention: Anthony Hopkins himself. Which was probably not shocking: in 2021, the 86-year-old actor didn’t even journey to obtain his second Oscar for finest actor, for “The Father”.

However his presence within the Roman Cinecitta studio, the place the sequence was filmed, left an impression on the director and the remainder of the crew.

Mr. Emmerich mentioned he despatched him the script “probably not believing he would say sure.” However the Welshman, a historical past buff, accepted the position with enthusiasm.

“At a excessive value, however nonetheless,” mentioned the director. “I had so many nice conversations with him about Rome and the entire tradition (on the time). He is an actual fan.”

Hopkins additionally suggested Jojo Macari, the actor who performs Domitian, the emperor’s youngest son, to ship his strains “rattling onerous”.

His message was “Go forward with confidence, problem me, come and scream in my face!”, mentioned the actor. “I need you to do it!”