Tele München Group’s world sales unit, TM International, has sold its high-end television series “The Name of the Rose,” starring John Turturro, to multiple territories, including the BBC in the U.K., Sky in Germany and OCS in France.
Additionally it has been acquired by YLE in Finland, NRK in Norway, DR in Denmark, SBS in Australia, VRT in Belgium, RTP in Portugal, Ceska TV in Czech Republic, Sky in New Zealand, and ITI in Poland. As previously announced, AMC’s SundanceTV holds the rights for the U.S. and Canada, and RAI will air the show in Italy.
As well as Turturro, the cast of the eight-hour series includes Michael Emerson (“Lost,” “Person of Interest”), Rupert Everett (“Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children”), Damian Hardung (“Red Band Society”), Sebastian Koch (“Homeland”), James Cosmo (“Game of Thrones”), Richard Sammel (“Inglourious Basterds”), Fabrizio Bentivoglio (“Human Capital”) and Greta Scarano (“In Treatment”).
The series is based on Umberto Eco’s novel, which has sold more than 50 million copies worldwide since it was first published in 1980.
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Set in Italy in 1327, the series follows the Franciscan monk William of Baskerville (Turturro) and his novice Adso von Melk (Hardung) as they arrive at a secluded monastery in the Alps. There they become witnesses to a series of mysterious murders. While Baskerville and Melk investigate and search for the killer, they are hunted themselves by the merciless inquisitor Bernard Gui (Everett), who prosecutes those who criticize the Pope.
“The Name of the Rose” is produced by 11 Marzo Film, Palomar and TMG in association with RAI Fiction. The series is in post-production. TM International is handling the worldwide distribution of the series.
The screenplay was written by Andrea Porporati (“Il dolce e l’amaro,” “La Piovra”), Nigel Williams and Turturro. Italian filmmaker Giacomo Battiato (“L’infiltré,” “Karol: A Man Who Became Pope”) co-wrote the screenplay and directs the series. John Conroy (“Luther,” “Penny Dreadful”) is director of photography. The costume designer is Maurizio Millenotti (“Passion of Christ”) and the production designer is Francesco Frigeri (“Medici,” “The Legend of 1900”).