Showtime has become somewhat of a destination for period dramas set in the middle of the last millennium. The network was home to The Tudors for four seasons and is currently running the Jeremy Irons-led program The Borgias. While neither have really made waves in the categories of awards or viewership (aside from a few nominations,) both were relatively well-received by niche audiences who welcomed the unique brand of storytelling to the small screen.
With that in mind, the premium network is gearing up for yet another offering of the sorts. This one will be dramatically different though in tone as it aims to tackle the Spanish conquest of Mexico led by Conquistador Hernan Cortes. The series entitled Conquest is described as “a classic war story about two powerful men and their people ultimately leading to the destruction of the Aztec culture and the men themselves.”
If that was not enough to peak your interest, the series is coming to audiences courtesy of Imagine TV with Brian Grazer producing and Ron Howard directing. Motorcycle Diaries writer Jose Rivera will write the adaptation making this just the latest television series backed by a team that hails from the film industry.
This is big news for Showtime as the network is finally at long last gaining credibility in the world of scripted programming after seemingly being content with one hit every half-decade or so. The channel is currently home to viewer favorites Dexter, Homeland, and Shameless which is why there will probably be a lot of well-placed faith in this latest offering.
[via Deadline]