The Colosseum will come to life again this summer, as German director Roland Emmerich has his first official encounter with television, thanks to his ambitious new series. those who are about to dieSet against the backdrop of the Flavian dynasty of the Roman Empire, this spectacular 10-episode film will premiere on July 18, just in time to build excitement for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Known for his mastery of large-scale, high-stakes filmmaking, Emmerich directs five episodes with his unwavering passion for storytelling. Independence Day, the day after tomorrowAnd 2012Emmerich’s distinctive style – grandeur, absurd scale of production, and an uncanny knack for depicting societal degradation – all embody the things that elevate this those who are about to die In a surprising and rousing epic.
The series is inspired by the 1958 book by Daniel P. Mannix and developed by Robert Rodette (the film’s screenwriter). saving Private Ryan) offers another portrayal of the political and social intricacies of ancient Rome — Hollywood has been quite obsessed with this idea lately — through the lens of its most brutal and popular spectacle: the games.
A scene from ‘Those About to Die’ | Photo credit: Peacock
The series showcases Emmerich’s ability to capture the tumultuous beauty of a great civilization. He brings ancient Rome to life, not just through the spectacle in the arena, but also through the personal and political dramas behind the scenes, which leave its veteran successors with a Machiavellian taint. game of Thrones And Succession. Its cast includes two-time Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins as the emperor Vespasian, and also includes Iwan Rheon game of Thrones fame, as well as irregular star JoJo Macari.
In our exclusive interview with Emmerich, he shares insight into the series’ development and his directorial approach and reflects on his own filmography, drops hints about future projects and takes an affectionate look at a certain Oscar-winning reptile icon.
Part:
Striking a balance between historical accuracy and dramatic storytelling is certainly no easy task. How did you tread the fine line between fact and fiction when portraying the Flavian dynasty?
Roland: Well, this is an interesting period because Vespasian, who became emperor, came from a family of mule herders. He became an important general and was sent to Judea to suppress a rebellion in his old age. He was the last of four emperors after Nero killed himself. There were three other generals fighting for the position of emperor, and Vespasian was the last one standing. He brought stability after the civil war and rebuilt Rome, including building the Colosseum, which was a grand gesture at the time. He had two sons, which was unique among emperors before him, and his reign lasted 12 years.
The show has a wide variety of characters, including Spanish horse breeders, a Numidian family, even a Judean princess; how important was it to you to showcase so many diverse perspectives of ancient Rome?
Roland: We wanted to show how multi-ethnic and multi-ethnic Rome really was. Don’t forget, a third of everyone living in Rome were slaves. They had to come from somewhere, right? And they weren’t Romans; they were conquered people who were enslaved and forced to work. So a lot of people came from other countries as well and we wanted to show that. Rome was also the center of the world at that time; it was a city with over a million people. Can you imagine? It was a big city.
A scene from ‘Those About to Die’ | Photo credit: Peacock
Was it easier to portray queer characters on screen, since ancient Rome was at the pinnacle of sexual fluidity?
Roland: Yes, that was our idea. In the characters, we created Domitian who was openly gay, and he carried his boy with him everywhere. That was widely accepted in Rome at the time, so we could portray that aspect authentically.
This was your first collaboration with Sir Anthony Hopkins. What was it like having him on set, and did his performance influence or change the writing of Vespasian?
Roland: He understood the character completely and portrayed him as a soldier who never shows weakness. Even if he has weaknesses, he hides them and wants to die standing. His acting was incredibly impressive.
A scene from ‘Those About to Die’ | Photo credit: Peacock
The series will probably be compared to modern television shows like ‘Game of Thrones’ or ‘Succession’ because it depicts Shakespeare’s perspective on family politics and the constant struggle for power. Do you think this series will build on these pre-established foundations or will it try something different?
Roland: Look, I don’t know how successful this show will be – only time will tell. But I had a lot of fun making it because it has a lot going on and a lot of different characters. At its core, it has an almost Shakespearean element to it where the old man has to choose one of his two sons to be his successor, and naturally he chooses the military guy because he likes him more and he’s more like him. It’s about succession, but it’s also like a game show of that era. If they had TV at the time, they would have made game shows like this.
Did technology play a major role in shaping your vision of ancient Rome, or did you rely more on practical sets?
Roland: We shot in Rome and had the benefit of a volume stage, which made everything look big, even if it wasn’t huge. We also used a super accurate model of ancient Rome that the Germans had built for a museum and rendered it in Unreal Engine. It was complicated and I don’t want to downplay it. You don’t have a lot of time to start, and you have to work much faster than normal because each problem takes half a day or more. So you have to be very careful in what you do and how you do it.
A scene from ‘Those About to Die’ | Photo credit: Peacock
Decline and decay are themes that have featured heavily in your films, such as ‘The Day After Tomorrow’, ‘2012’ and now The Fall of the Roman Empire. What drew you to this idea of a collapsing society?
Roland: Well, that’s a more interesting story. When something succeeds, who really cares? But when it falls down, it’s always more interesting. Decline is always more interesting than success. And here you have a continuous cycle of success and decline. For example, the Roman Empire famously ended because it was too big. It fell apart. There was no way it could have kept going for that long.
Recently we got to see the sequel to Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator’, and Francis Ford Coppola recently premiered ‘Megalopolis’ at Cannes, which also mentions many Roman greats. What do you think is driving Hollywood’s new interest in ancient Rome?
Roland: ,Laughs) I feel privileged to be the first one to come out!
But honestly, it’s a coincidence. Making a movie about the Roman Empire is really expensive and requires a lot of planning. Our show was very complex and very difficult to make. We had a budget of $150 million, which is very small compared to Ridley Scott’s $200-250 million, but we managed to get a lot out of it.
A scene from ‘Those About to Die’ | Photo credit: Peacock
Were you going to adapt “Lawrence of Arabia” for television as well?
Roland: Yes, I found a great writer, Anthony McCarten, who wrote Theory of Everything, the Darkest Hourand the final version of Bohemian RhapsodyWe already have a pilot script, so that’s in the works.
Is there any news about a new ‘Independence Day’ movie?
Roland: The last film wasn’t as successful as we hoped and then Will Smith left the film… and now they’ve slapped someone else in. I don’t think that will happen again. I still have other film projects, so don’t worry. But I had a clear blueprint for the film in mind.
Japanese director Takashi Yamazaki recently won ‘Godzilla’ its first Oscar award in 70 years and praised the technical achievements and execution of your ‘Godzilla’ film. Do you feel happy remembering that film 25 years later?
Roland: Yes, I loved this movie and never understood the criticism. It was a clever way to tell the story of a modern Godzilla, which was much more realistic than previous versions. The old Godzilla was a suit that had to be bottom-heavy to work. I thought our Godzilla was better, faster and could reproduce, which made it much more dynamic and I really thought it was a very clever movie.
Have you had a chance to see ‘Godzilla Minus One’?
Roland: I haven’t seen it yet, but it’s on my list. I’ve heard it’s a great movie.
Those About to Die premieres on Prime Video on July 18
