Anthony Hopkins is arguably one of Hollywood’s most popular and talented actors, and he’s bringing his acting chops to a brand-new historical miniseries. Set in ancient Rome, Peacock’s Those About to Die centers around gladiator competitions and the seedy underbelly of the business. If the official trailer is anything to go by, the 10-episode series will be sure to deliver.
Inspired by the non-fiction book of the same name by author and journalist Daniel P. Mannix, Those About to Die takes place in 79 AD. As aforementioned, it centers around the gladiator combat, which served as the primary form of entertainment in ancient Rome, and the less-than-licit activities that surrounded it.
The project was announced in 2022, with Hopkins signing on the following year. The actor, best known for portraying Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs (1991), will be playing Emperor Vespasian, who ruled from 69-79 AD and was the last ruler in the Year of the Four Emperors.
Others slated to appear in Those About to Die include Jojo Macari, Dimitri Leonidas, Iwan Rheon and Gabriella Pession. Robert Rodat, the writer of Saving Private Ryan (1998), is the brains behind the miniseries, with Roland Emmerich directing.
