John Hannah (The Mummy, Enemy Lines, Overboard), Ed Westwick (Gossip Girl, Dark Game, Enemy Lines), and British actress Alanah Bloor (Waves) have been added to the cast of the new Italian TV series reboot of Sandokan, along with the Turkish lead Can Yaman (Erkenci Kuş, Bay Yanlis, Viola), Variety exclusively reports. This show will focus on the quests of the pirate with the same name, along with his crew, to fight international empires in the Southeast Asian seas.
According to Variety, the show will be filmed right outside of Rome. This show is currently a reboot from the original movie written by the Italian writer Emilio Salgari (The Black Corsair, Pirates of Malaysia, Jungle Adventurer). The 1976 movie, named Sandokan, was directed by Sergio Sollimar (Requiem for a Secret Agent, The Black Corsair, Violent City) and sent to stardom Kabir Bedi (The Return of Sandokan, The Black Corsair, Kites), a well-known Bollywood actor, now famous in 85 countries.
According to Variety, the company supervising the production will be Lux-Vide who will use their new set named Theater 7 to film some of the show. The series is based on an idea thought by Lux Vide CEO Luca Bernabei (Coco Chanel, Mary of Nazareth, Thomas). It has been developed for TV by Scott Rosenbaum (The Shield, V, Chucky); Alessandro Sermoneta (Devils, Hidden Children, Open Doors), and Davide Lantieri (Monterossi, Let Yourself Go, The Guest). It has been directed by Nicola Abbatangelo (DOC – Nelle tue mani, Beauty, The Land of Dreams), and Jan Maria Michelini (Devils, DOC – Nelle tue mani, Medici). Other stars joining the cast are Gilberto Gliozzi (I delitti del Barlume); Madeleine Price (Geek Girl); Samuele Segreto (Stranizza d’amuri, Fireworks, L’Ora) and Mark Grosy (Zero Zero Zero, All Stuffed with Fluff, Les Rascals) .
Sandokan, according to Variety, will broadcast in Italy on Rai1 station, the Italian broadcaster RAI’s flagship; and internationally by Fremantle. In Spain, it will broadcast via the Mediterráneo Mediaset España Group.
According to Variety, Sandokan is set on the island of Borneo in the middle of the 19th century. The native Dayak tribes are dominated by Britain, “at the height of their colonial power,” according to the official synopsis.
Yaman’s Sandokan, via Variety, is life-long pirate looking for treasures with his trusted crew that includes sidekick Yanez de Gomera, played by Italian actor Alessandro Preziosi (The Lying Life of Adults, Elisa Di Rivombrosa, Black Out-Vite Sospese). When Sandokan has a fling with the daughter of an important British consul, Bloor’s Marianne, Westwick’s Lord James Brooke will “stop at nothing to capture Sandokan and win Marianne’s heart.”
Bernabei, in an exclusive statement, shared his thoughts on the show and how hard they are working on it. “We are very proud to be bringing the iconic Sandokan saga back into Italian homes,” Bernabei shared, via Variety. “Over the past few years, we have worked to create an international project that would enhance Emilio Salgari’s IP in a contemporary way.”
The RAI Head of Drama, Maria Pia Ammirati (Gaber Gaber: libero come un uomo) stated, that “Sandokan is a myth-character that marks the history of RAI,” via Variety.
CEO Commercial and International at Fremantle, Jens Richter, added that, “We are excited to be partnering with Lux Vide and Rai Fiction on this exciting and ambitious reimagining of a well-loved saga for new audiences across the globe,” via Variety.
According to Variety, the show will film in various locations across Italy throughout the summer. First off, it will be in Theater 7, in Formello, outside of Rome. Afterwards, the show will head to Tuscany, in the Lazio region. Then, it will be on Réunion Island, in the Indian Ocean. Finally, the show will conclude some shoots, recreating the English colony of Labuan, in the beautiful Italian Southern Calabria region, precisely in Lamezia Terme, thanks to the support from the Calabria Film Commission.
Sandokan will begin filming and production on April 19.