Milan, May 29 – Imbued with history, legend and revolution, the epic story of the founding of Rome is told in Sky’s new original production: ROMULUS, a series by Matteo Rovere, making his debut as a director for television. Produced by Sky, Cattleya – part of ITV Studios – and Groenlandia, the series consists of 10 episodes. Filming will start in Rome in early June and will continue for 28 weeks in the Italian capital and its surroundings.

The cast includes Andrea Arcangeli (The Startup, Trust), Marianna Fontana (Indivisible, Capri-Revolution) and Francesco Di Napoli (Piranhas), young and acclaimed talent starring in a story of survival directed by Matteo Rovere (Italian Race, The First King), Michele Alhaique (Non Uccidere, Senza Nessuna Pietà) and Enrico Maria Artale (The Third Half).

Two entire cities meticulously reconstructed on the basis of well-documented historical research, thousands of extras, more than 700 stunt people and hundreds of authentic weapons have been manufactured for the series, ROMULUS, set in the eighth century B.C., in a primitive and brutal world in which man’s fate is decided by the merciless power of nature and the gods. Filmed in archaic Latin, Romulus is the story of this world as seen through the eyes of three people marked by death, loneliness and violence: Iemos, Wiros and the young vestal Ilia. A story of men and women who discover how to shape their own destinies instead of passively suffering their fate. Their revolution is also driven by a fierce, protective, ruthless and motherly female figure. Romulus is the epic tale of the origin of Rome, like it has never been told before.

Commenting on the project, Nicola Maccanico, Executive Vice President Programming Sky Italia, said: «We are proud to launch this new project with a talented director like Matteo Rovere, who in a very few years has been able to impose himself on the film scene with his extremely personal, recognizable and successful style. And we are happy to do so with a well-established partner like Cattleya, with whom we have produced some of the cornerstones of Italian and international serial production and continue to work on new ideas. Romulus is an epic series in the true sense of the word, an international project featuring some of the youngest and outstanding Italian talents. A project that has at its heart what is perhaps the most recognizable brand of our country, Rome, which is once again set to attract worldwide attention with a great story to tell- that of the founding of the Eternal City and its myth – raw, realistic, powerful. Our history, the most proudly local of all».

Riccardo Tozzi, founding partner of Cattleya, added: “With Romulus we want to tell the origin of Rome’s power, and the interrelationship among the main events that made it possible, affirming that history exists because someone first created a story. Such an ambitious project requires the work of an outstandingly creative and motivated team. We have formed that team with Groenlandia: it’s a great experience to work with a talented young director like Matteo, whom we also hold in high esteem as a fellow producer. Key to the project are also the roles of our two great partners Sky and ITV Studios”.

Matteo Rovere, founder of Groenlandia, showrunner and a director of the series said: “Romulus is a story about feelings, war, brotherhood, courage and fear. It is a great, epic fresco, a highly realistic reconstruction of the events that led to the foundation of Rome. But above all it is an investigation into the origins and the profound meaning of power in the West: a journey into an archaic and frightening world, where everything is sacred and people feel the mysterious and hostile presence of the gods everywhere. Working with Sky Italia, Cattleya and ITV Studios, three partners of extraordinary value and extensive experience, seems to me the very best way to embrace this new challenge”.

The scripts are written by Filippo Gravino (Italian Race, Alaska, Fiore, The First King), Guido Iuculano (A Quiet Life, Anything Can Happen, A Stroke of Luck, Alaska) and Matteo Rovere.

Rounding off the cast are also Giovanni Buselli (Gomorrah-The Series, My Brilliant Friend ), Silvia Calderoni (Bloody Richard), Sergio Romano (Il Campione, La Terza Stella), Demetra Avincola (Lucky, Loro 2), Massimiliano Rossi (The First King, The Vice of Hope, Ivana Lotito (Gomorrah – The Series) Gabriel Montesi (Made in Italy, The First King, Il Campione) and Vanessa Scalera (Lea).

Romulus is a Sky original series produced by Sky, Cattleya and Groenlandia. ITV Studios Global Entertainment will handle international sales.