Atlantis (BBC)

[Blencathra]

More casting news

Juliet Stevenson ventures on to BBC's Atlantis

http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-rad...n-bbc-atlantis

Juliet Stevenson, the star of Truly Madly Deeply and The Politician's Wife, is taking her first major role in a Saturday teatime family drama, the BBC fantasy series Atlantis.

The broadcaster will be hoping to repeat the success of Doctor Who and Merlin in luring children and their parents to BBC1 as the nights draw in on Saturday evenings this autumn with the 13-part drama, which draws on Greek myths and legends about the island which, according to legend sank into the Atlantic.

Stevenson has been cast in a line-up that also includes Mark Addy, recently seen in very different roles in the supermarket comedy Trollied and the dark and visceral TV adaption of George RR Martin's Game of Thrones fantasy novels, and Sarah Parish, whose credits include Cutting It, Mistresses, and Monroe.

Stevenson will also be seen on BBC1 this year in Peter Moffat's ambitious drama The Village, which aims to portray the fictional lives of the residents of a small Peak District settlement over several decades from 1911.

Stevenson rose to prominence in the early 1990s in the late Anthony Minghella's bittersweet romantic comedy Truly Madly Deeply and as the wronged woman who turns the tables on Trevor Eve's philandering husband in Paula Milne's Channel 4 drama The Politician's Wife.

Stevenson admitted this was her first experience of fantasy drama. "This genre is new to me, so I am looking forward to a great adventure."

The BBC's take on Atlantis is of a mysterious, ancient place with vast palaces said to be built by giants, snake-haired goddesses and other mythical creatures. The drama's main protagonist, Jason, is a young man who arrives on Atlantis and begins a series of adventures. Sets depicting the mythical city and island are under construction in Wales and Morroco, with filming due to begin next month.

Atlantis has been written by Howard Overman, creator of E4's Asbo teens with super powers drama Misfits. His other writing credits include Merlin and the BBC4 adaptation of Douglas Adams's Dirk Gently.

Producers will hope they can tap into the current taste for fantasy, sci-fi and horror, with Atlantis following the BBC's successful reinvention of Doctor Who; Merlin, the reworking of the Arthurian legends that ran for five series until last autumn; and time travel meets dinosaurs drama Primeval.

[Teddybrown]

http://cultfix.co.uk/atlantis-castin...nced-21830.htm
Full casting announced...

[Blencathra]

I'm getting more & more excited about this. Great news about Jemima Rooper being involved.

[python490]

Looks promising. I never got into Merlin other than the first 2 seasons. Hopefully this show be good.

[dipsofjazz]

This cast looks good. I'm looking forward to watching this.

[MasySyma]

I hope BBC America picks it up. It looks interesting.

[Blencathra]

BBC America to Co-Produce 'Atlantis' Drama Series

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/liv...s-drama-590174

BBC America will be bringing upcoming British series Atlantis to U.S. televisions.

Created by Howard Overman, Julian Murphy and Johnny Capps, Atlantis is set in a time of legendary heroes and mythical creatures. The news comes after the BBC announced the new 13-episode commission in June.

BBC America will now co-produce Atlantis, which is slated for a fall 2013 premiere in the U.S. and in the U.K. In the States, it will air as part of BBC America's "Supernatural Saturday" block, which counts Orphan Black, Doctor Who and The Nerdist as part of its lineup.

“Atlantis is the perfect series for our long-running successful Supernatural Saturday programming block. An incredible creative team and exciting cast are in place to deliver ambitious adventures this fall," said Ricard De Croce, senior vp programming at BBC America.

"It is both a privilege and a delight to have the opportunity to take audiences on a journey into the fantastical world of Atlantis. Drawing on the Greek myths for inspiration, we aim to tell classic, action adventure stories in unexpected and exciting ways – weekly mini-movies that we hope will appeal to young and old alike," said Overman.

Mark Addy (Game of Thrones), Jemima Rooper (One Man, Two Guvnors, Hex), Juliet Stevenson (The Hour), Sarah Parish (Hatfields & McCoys), Robert Emms (War Horse), Aiysha Hart (About Time) and Jack Donnelly (Dancing on the Edge) star in Atlantis.

Executive producers are Capps, Murphy and Overman for Urban Myth Films, with BBC Cymru Wales' Bethan Jones also an EP. Atlantis is in production in Wales and Morocco.

[MasySyma]

Now let's hope it's worth the hype and not like the extra terrible Sinbad.

[Teddybrown]

http://cultfix.co.uk/atlantis-first-look-23539.htm
Atlantis first look

[knowles2]

http://cultfix.co.uk/atlantis-first-look-23539.htm
Atlantis first look

Doesn't look like how I imagine Atlantis would look. At least from Plato description. Not sure Greeks would be welcome with open arms consider they supposedly fought each other on the battlefield.

[Lt.Colonel John Sheppard]

as Jack O'Neill put it in the Stargate Atlantis episode "The Real World": "I don't know anything about Atlantis! Except that it was a fairly mediocre Donovan song... not one of my favorites..."

[Teddybrown]

Very teasing teaser released...

[Morgania]

I looking forward to this one. As I've been interested in this myth for a long time.

[Gen. Chris]

Very teasing teaser released...

That's not even a damn teaser...It's basically a title card!

[knowles2]

That's not even a damn teaser...It's basically a title card!

It is a title card.

Re: Atlantis (BBC)
I looking forward to this one. As I've been interested in this myth for a long time.

I love the myth as well. But from what I have read it sound to me like they are just reusing greek legends with a slight twist in an Atlantis setting. Rather than using the Atlantis Myths to write new stories about Atlantis and create a unique culture around Atlantis. I hope I am wrong an that they build upon the tells Plato told and create a unique world. But with greeks gods known already to be appearing, Hercules appearing, and the lead character is greek, an as far as I can tell all the main casts are greek, and the lead writer stated intention of stealing stuff from greek legions, I am not that hopeful that there will be much in the way of Atlantis and its story in the series. It not Greek Mythology I want, I want Atlantis mythology and so far it does sound like we getting much of that.