‘Those About To Die’: Iwan Rheon Among Nine Cast In Peacock & Roland Emmerich’s Gladiator Drama As Shooting Begins
Game of Thrones star Iwan Rheon is one of nine joining the cast of Peacock’s epic gladiator drama Those About to Die, as principal photography on the Roland Emmerich show kicked off at Rome’s historic Cinecittà Studios.
Rheon, best known as Ramsay Bolton in Game of Thrones, has has been cast as ambitious crime boss Tenax and will replace Lorenzo Richelmy, who dropped out over scheduling conflicts. Rheon is appearing in The Magic Flute and has appeared in the BAFTA-winner Misfits and Netflix’s The Dirt.
More from Deadline
RELATED: 2023 Peacock Series & Pilot Orders
Also joining the cast are Liraz Charhi, Johannes Haukur Johannesson, Rupert Penry-Jones, Eneko Sagardoy, Pepe Barroso, Gonçalo Almeida, Kyshan Wilson and Alicia Edogamhe.
Inspired by Daniel Mannix’s nonfiction book, Those About to Die is billed as an epic drama set in the complex and corrupt world of ancient Rome’s spectacle-driven gladiatorial competition. AGC Television is the studio, with additional financing provided by High End Productions and with local production services provided by Italy’s Wildside Productions.
Anthony Hopkins will play Vespasian, the Emperor of Rome and head of the Flavian bloodline, and the likes of Sara Martins and Dimitri Leonidas have already been cast for key roles.
Of the new cast, Charhi (Tehran) will play Berenice, queen of the conquered Judea’s held captive in Rome. Johannesson (Vikings: Valhalla) plays imposing Norse gladiator Viggo and Penry-Jones (Spooks) is Marsus, a wealthy patrician and retired general who desire’s the throne.
Sagardoy (Giant, Elite), Barroso (45 rpm) and Almeida (Esperança) play the Corsi brothers, while Wilson (Viola) plays female gladiator in training Aura. Edogamhe (Summertime) plays a slave who is sold to Marsus and Antonia (Gabriella Pession).
Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow helmer Emmerich is directing alongside Marco Kreuzpaintner, with Robert Rodat (Saving Private Ryan) writing. The trio are executive producers along with Hollywood Gang’s Gianni Nunnari (The Departed); Street Entertainment’s Harald Kloser (2012); High End’s Herbert G. Kloiber, Martin Moszkowicz, Oliver Berben and Jonas Bauer; Charles Holland (Black Lightning); and AGC’s Ford and Chief Creative Officer Lourdes Diaz.
Best of Deadline
Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
