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Too many characters make for a messy and disjointed story, lacking focus and coherence. The writing is inconsistent and the graphics can be comically bad at times. Despite its flaws, the show can still be entertaining and engaging for viewers.

Those About To Die (2024) is inspired by the 1958 non-fiction novel by Daniel P. Manni, which focuses on Ancient Rome and the era of gladiators and chariot racing. Roland Emmerich's latest project delves into the corrupt politics of these dangerous games and the cast of nefarious characters who stand to gain or lose a lot as the citizens of Rome struggle with poverty. Those About To Die is a grand spectacle bathed in blood, sweat and derivative writing. Anthony Hopkins certainly drew me in, and even if the show was extremely messy and couldn't keep my full attention, I still had fun watching.

Those About To Die (2024)

Cast Moe Hashim,...

Roland Emmerich makes the transition to the small screen with Those About to Die, the Independence Day director's first-ever television series. The filmmaker has opened up on why he wanted to take on the show as his first television project along with some of its Game of Thrones influences.

Those About to Die, a 10-episode series that is now streaming in full on Peacock, features an ensemble cast of characters that includes Anthony Hopkins. Emmerich, who directed and executive produced the series, spoke out about the project in a new interview with Cbr's Kevin Polowy. He first explained why he chose to venture into the Roman Empire for his first series, noting how he was enamored by the original book of the same name by Daniel P. Mannix. Emmerich also noted how he was still able to contribute a lot creatively to the story, given the way the book was written.

In most promos for Peacock’s new 10-part drama Those About to Die, Anthony Hopkins gazes out like a gnarled marble bust brought partially to life. Even the commercials that acknowledge that the series is perhaps a bit more of an ensemble piece feature the multiple Oscar winner in a badly photoshopped human pyramid, the recognizable pinnacle atop a promotional Eye of Providence.

It is more a service than a spoiler to decry this blatant bait-and-switch. While there may or may not be other reasons to watch Those About to Die, I can clarify: For a small number of episodes, Hopkins is perhaps the 10th or 12th most important part of the ensemble and for the rest of the series he doesn’t even rise to that level.

There is surely a story of some sort that explains or justifies how Hopkins came to be involved in the first place.

Peacock invites you to take a behind-the-scenes look at Roland Emmerich’s Those About to Die and an exclusive Sneak-Peek at Atomic Monster’s Teacup to take place during Peacock’s Back-to-Back Panel Block on Thursday, July 25 in Ballroom 20!

Thursday, July 25 – Sunday, July 28:

Those About To Die: The Chariot Race

Immerse yourself in the glory of Ancient Rome at San Diego Comic-Con 2024 with Peacock’s “Those About To Die: The Chariot Race.” Step inside the betting tavern, join one of the coveted factions and experience the adrenaline thrill of the chariot race itself. Inspired by the new Original series, Peacock’s in-world activation will bring the ancient “Circus Maximus” to life right in the Gaslamp District. Upon entry, guests will be divided into the 5 factions from the show and given the chance to whip a pair of reins to power their team’s chariot to victory.

The activation...

Peacock has just released a trailer along with new images and key art for the upcoming series Those About to Die. From Roland Emmerich, the series features two-time Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins.

Consisting of 10 episodes, Those About to Die will start streaming on Peacock on Thursday, July 18, 2024. The new images and trailer include a sneak peek at Hopkins in character along with other members of the ensemble cast. Everyone is all together in the key art, with Hopkins standing at the top, just under the "Rise or Die" tagline. Take a look at the trailer, poster, and new photos below.

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Per Peacock, the series is described as an "epic drama set in the corrupt world of the spectacle-driven gladiatorial competition,...

Those About to Die finally has a premiere date. The new drama series about a gladiator competition will arrive on Peacock in July. All ten episodes will be released at once.

Starring Anthony Hopkins, Sara Martins, Dimitri Leonidas, Iwan Rheon, Liraz Charhi, Johannes Haukur Johannesson, Rupert Penry-Jones, Eneko Sagardoy, Pepe Barroso, Gonçalo Almeida, Kyshan Wilson, and Alicia Edogamhe, the series is based on the nonfiction book by Daniel Mannix and shows the complicated times of Ancient Rome.

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Those who know who Roland Emmerich is will probably know that the director is known for his epic films, a lot of which are also major disaster films. Some of these major titles include Universal Soldier (1992), Stargate (1994), Independence Day (1996) and its sequel Independence Day: Resurgence (2016), Godzilla (1998), The Patriot (2000), The Day After Tomorrow (2004), 10,000 BC (2008), 2012 (2009), White House Down (2013), Midway (2019), and Moonfall (2022). But, Emmerich is now shifting to television, as his new project is about to be released on Peacock this summer. Ahead of the premiere, a teaser trailer has been released.

The project in question is the epic sword-and-sandal series Those About to Die, which is set in Ancient Rome. The series will be based on the book of the same name by writer and journalist Daniel P. Mannix; interesting enough, the same book served as the basis for Ridley Scott’s epic classic, Gladiator.

The series will star acting legend...

Amazon Prime has given Roland Emmerich’s Those About To Die the thumbs up, taking rights to the upcoming gladiator action series across most of Europe. Anthony Hopkins stars as Roman emperor Vespasian in the 10-part series, inspired by the nonfiction book of the same name by Daniel P. Mannix.

Amazon picked up exclusive rights to Those About To Die for its services in the five largest territories in Europe (Germany, the UK, France, Italy and Spain) as well as in Portugal, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Ireland, Poland, Turkey, Andorra, Monaco, Luxembourg, and Belgium. Amazon will have exclusive rights for the show in those territories, with free-tv rights negotiated separately. Servus TV has secured the free TV window for Austria for the show, which will go out on Peacock in the U.S.. NBCUniversal’s streaming platform gave a straight-to-series order for the show.

Oscar-nominated screenwriter Robert Rodat (Saving Private Ryan...

Nine actors have joined the cast of the upcoming Those About To Die series. The Peacock series, inspired by the nonfiction book by Daniel Mannix, is set in the time of gladiators and follows the “complex and corrupt world of ancient Rome’s spectacle-driven gladiatorial competition.” The book was previously used as the basis for the Gladiator feature film.

Iwan Rheon, Liraz Charhi, Johannes Haukur Johannesson, Rupert Penry-Jones, Eneko Sagardoy, Pepe Barroso, Gonçalo Almeida, Kyshan Wilson, and Alicia Edogamhe have been cast in the show. Anthony Hopkins, Sara Martins, and Dimitri Leonidas have already been cast for key roles. Filming is underway in Rome.

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Do you like movies about gladiators?

Hollywood is betting you do.

There are a trio of sword-and-sandal epics in the works, including a long-awaited sequel to Ridley Scott’s Oscar-winning 2000 movie Gladiator and a reboot of Starz’ groundbreaking TV series Spartacus.

The curious surge of Ancient Rome titles in the pipeline seems to be purely coincidental, but it also makes sense given that studios have been searching for the next genre title that might break out — particularly since the end of HBO’s Game of Thrones — and given the revival of another muscular old-time Hollywood genre, the Western, following the explosive popularity of Yellowstone. Each project has roots in a different take on the material, and two of the projects had major casting news within the past week.

The gladiator genre actually has cinema roots dating all the way back to the 1913 silent film The Last Days of Pompeii. The...

Roland Emmerich is filling out his Colosseum, with a new troop of actors to complete the cast of Those About to Die, a gladiator action series which the Independence Day director has begun shooting in Rome.

Game of Thrones star Iwan Rheon, Vikings actor Johannes Haukur Johannesson and Alicia Edogamhe, best-known for Netflix series Summertime, are among the new additions to the ensemble cast, as well as Tehran actress Liraz Charhi, Britain’s Rupert Penry-Jones (Mi-5), Elite actor Eneko Sagardoy, Gonçalo Almeida (Amor Amor), Kyshan Wilson (Viola) and Pepe Barroso (Neill Blomkamp’s upcoming Gran Turismo).

They join two-time Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins headlines the series as Roman emperor Vespasian. Previously-announced cast include Tom Hughes, Sara Martins, Jojo Macari, Gabriella Pession, Dimitri Leonidas, and Moe Hashim.

Rheon has been cast as ambitious crime boss, Tenax. He replaces the previously announced Lorenzo Richelmy, who was unable to participate in the series due to scheduling conflicts.