"Django" (credits: Cos Aelenei)
Sky has revealed a set of first-look images from "Django", the high-concept reimagining of the classic Western, as production continues in Romania. Matthias Schoenaerts stars as the eponymous Django, along with Nicholas Pinnock as John Ellis, Django’s antagonist, and Noomi Rapace in the role of Ellis’ powerful and merciless enemy Elizabeth, along with Lisa Vicari as Django’s long lost daughter Sarah.
Loosely based on the Sergio Corbucci feature film "Django", the English-language series (10x60 minutes) is being produced for Sky Studios and Canal+ by French production company Atlantique Productions, part of Mediawan, and Cattleya, Italy’s leading independent film and TV drama producer and part of ITV Studios, along with co-producers Sky Studios and CANAL+ and in collaboration with Odeon Fiction and StudioCanal, who is also in charge of the worldwide distribution rights.
The story is set in the Wild West in the 1860s and 1870s. Sarah and John have founded New Babylon, a city of outcasts, full of men and women of all backgrounds, races and creeds, that welcomes everyone with open arms. Haunted by the murder of his family eight years earlier, Django is still looking for his daughter, believing she may have survived. He is shocked to find her in New Babylon, about to marry John. But Sarah, now a grown woman, wants Django to leave, as she fears he will put New Babylon in jeopardy if he stays. However, Django, believing the city is in danger, is adamant that he will not lose his daughter twice.
The first episodes of "Django" are directed by Francesca Comencini ("Gomorrah the Series"), who is the series’ artistic director with subsequent episodes directed by David Evans ("Downton Abbey") and Enrico Maria Artale ("Romulus"). "Django" was created and written by Leonardo Fasoli ("Gomorrah the Series", "ZeroZeroZero") and Maddalena Ravagli ("Gomorrah the Series", "ZeroZeroZero"), who, together, also co-wrote the series treatment with Francesco Cenni and Michele Pellegrini, with two episodes written by Max Hurwitz ("ZeroZeroZero", "Manhunt").
Django, made with the support from the Romanian Government, is currently being filmed on location over six months in Racos, Bucharest and the Danube area. The Sky Original series and Canal+ Creation Originale "Django" will be broadcast on Sky’s services in Italy, the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Switzerland and on CANAL+ channels in France, Switzerland, Benelux and Africa.