The Weinstein Company announced Tuesday that production is underway on “MARCO POLO,” a Netflix original series based on the epic adventures of Marco Polo.
Shoot locations for the ten episode first season include Italy, Kazakhstan and the new Pinewood Studios in Malaysia. Netflix plans to premiere the series in late 2014.
The famed explorer’s journey takes him to the center of a brutal war in 13th century China, a world replete with exotic martial arts, political skullduggery, spectacular battles and sexual intrigue.
The global cast includes Lorenzo Richelmy (IL TERZO TEMPO) as Marco Polo, Benedict Wong (PROMETHEUS), Zhu Zhu (CLOUD ATLAS), Tom Wu (SKYFALL), Remy Hii (TREADING WATER) and Rick Yune (OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN, THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS).
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Creator John Fusco (FORBIDDEN KINGDOM, YOUNG GUNS, HIDALGO) and Harvey Weinstein will serve as executive producers.
Dan Minahan (GAME OF THRONES, TRUE BLOOD) will also serve as executive producer and will direct two episodes.
Joachim Roenning and Espen Sandberg (Academy Award nominated KON-TIKI, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES) will direct the season’s first two episodes.
Patrick MacManus will serve as co-executive producer. Collin Creighton will produce on behalf of The Weinstein Company.
The Weinstein Company (TWC) is a multimedia production and distribution company launched in October 2005 by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films in 1979.
