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On Oct. 1, as Iran was firing a fusillade of missiles on his country, Israeli director Eran Riklis was in Tel Aviv “trying to cling on to the fact” that he would hopefully soon be premiering his new film “Reading Lolita in Tehran” — which he calls “an iconic Iranian story, featuring iconic Iranian actresses” — at the Rome Film Festival.

On Oct. 27, one day after Israel launched retaliatory missile strikes on Iran, Rikils beamed on stage as he accepted the Rome event’s audience award and special jury prize alongside most of the film’s ensemble female cast that includes Golshifteh Farahani, Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Mina Kavani, Lara Wolf, Isabella Nefar and Raha Rahbari.

At a time when tensions between Israel and Iran are soaring, “Reading Lolita in Tehran” – an adaptation of Azar Nafisi’s bestselling autobiographical novel about a fearless literature teacher in post-revolution Tehran – stands as a powerful symbol of...

Plot: An epic drama set in the corrupt world of the spectacle-driven gladiatorial competition, exploring a side of ancient Rome never before told — the dirty business of entertaining the masses, giving the mob what they want most…blood and sport. The series introduces an ensemble of characters from all corners of the Roman Empire who collide at the explosive intersection of sports, politics, and dynasties.

Review: The recent release of the Gladiator II trailer proves that the spectacle and grandeur of the Roman Empire make for fascinating storytelling. Influenced by epics like Spartacus, Cleopatra, and Ben-Hur, the arenas and gladiatorial combat have rarely been as good as they have been on the big screen. Returning to the book that inspired David Franzoni’s initial script for Ridley Scott’s 2000 Best Picture-winning feature film, Those About To Die takes a deeper dive into the politics and machinations of Rome during the first century.

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...

"Enough is good. More is better. Too much is perfect." Peacock has unveiled the second official for an epic Roman Empire series Those About To Die, a riff on the classic Roman phrase "Hail, Emperor, those who are about to die salute you" or "Ave Imperator, morituri te salutant." It'll be streaming on Peacock starting in a few more weeks. The series chronicles the world of gladiators in Ancient Rome. It may not be connected to Ridley Scott's Gladiator movie, or its upcoming sequel Gladiator 2 due out later this year (huzzah!), but it's definitely something they want you to feel is connected. Some of the episodes are directed by Roland Emmerich and it was shot at the Cinecittà studio in Rome. Anthony Hopkins stars as the Roman Emperor Vespasian, with a massive cast: Dimitri Leonidas as Scorpus, Jojo Macari, Gabriella Pession, Iwan Rheon, Sara Martins-Court, Moe Hashim, David Wurawa,...

"I know what they crave... And I can devise entertainment that will feed that craving." Sounds like a studio exec talking. Peacock has revealed the main official for an epic Roman Empire series called Those About To Die, a riff on the classic Roman phrase "Hail, Emperor, those who are about to die salute you" or "Ave Imperator, morituri te salutant." The series chronicles the world of gladiators in Ancient Rome. It may not be connected to Ridley Scott's Gladiator movie, or its upcoming sequel Gladiator 2 due out later this year, but it's definitely something they want you to feel is connected. Some of the episodes are directed by Roland Emmerich and it was shot at the Cinecittà studio in Rome. Anthony Hopkins stars as the Roman Emperor Vespasian, with a massive cast: Dimitri Leonidas as Scorpus, Jojo Macari, Gabriella Pession, Iwan Rheon, Sara Martins-Court, Moe Hashim, David Wurawa,...

"The telling of history is but a history of war." How often do you think about the Roman Empire? Peacock has unveiled a first look teaser trailer for an epic new streaming series landing this year titled Those About To Die, a riff on the classic Roman phrase "Hail, Emperor, those who are about to die salute you" or "Ave Imperator, morituri te salutant." The series chronicles the world of gladiators in Ancient Rome. It may not be connected to Ridley Scott's Gladiator movie, or its upcoming sequel Gladiator 2 due out later this year, but it's definitely something they want you to feel is connected. Some of the episodes are directed by Roland Emmerich and it was shot at the Cinecittà studio in Rome. Anthony Hopkins stars as the Roman Emperor Vespasian, with a massive cast: Dimitri Leonidas as Scorpus, Jojo Macari, Gabriella Pession, Iwan Rheon, Sara Martins-Court,...

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...

How far will you go to deny your identity in order to be a somebody? What happens when you make a deal with a devil whom you might normally despise, but has transfixed much of an entire nation’s population? And how long can you will yourself to ignore evidence of the intolerable? These are just a few of the questions raised — sometimes with allusive finesse, sometimes with blunt-force impact — during “The Performance,” an enthralling period drama with often disquieting contemporary relevance.

If you have roamed through this cinematic territory before, you may discern in Shira Piven’s exceptional film traces of “Cabaret,” “Mephisto” and other tales of ambitious entertainers striving for the spotlight as Adolf Hitler’s shadow spreads over 1930s Germany. But this largely faithful adaptation and intelligent expansion of a 2002 short story by Arthur Miller ultimately stands on its own merits as both vivid historical recreation and riveting cautionary fable,...

Actor Vansh Luthra, who is known for his work in Czech film ‘Destination Paradise’, will soon be seen in the Hollywood film ‘The Performance’ in which he will share the screen with Primetime Emmy winning actor Jeremy Piven.

The story of the film revolves around a second-generation Jewish American dancer whose troupe is on tour in Europe and is scouted for a special performance for Adolf Hitler. The film also stars Robert Carlyle, Maimie McCoy and Lara wolf, and is directed by Shira Piven.

Describing his experience working with award-winning actor Jeremy Piven, he told: “It was really nice working with Jeremy, I also had an opportunity to talk to him and understand his process. He was very kind and willing to tell me some tricks and his style of approaching the work. Looking at him preparing for the scene was quite interesting, how he used his props and other...