August 2, 2024 – Directed by JOE WRIGHT

Coming in 2025 exclusively to Sky and streaming only on NOW

The teaser for Sky Original series M. Son of the Century has been released today. The series is based on the Premio Strega-winning and international bestselling book by Antonio Scurati, which chronicles the birth of fascism in Italy and the Duce Benito Mussolini’s rise to power and will world-premiere at the 81st edition of Venice Film Festival, out of competition.

The eight-episode series, all of which will be shown at Venice’s Lido, is directed by BAFTA-winning Joe Wright (Darkest Hour, Atonement, Cyrano) and produced by Sky Studios and Lorenzo Mieli for The Apartment, a Fremantle company, in co-production with Pathé, in association with Small Forward Productions, in collaboration with Fremantle, CINECITTÀ S.p.A., and Sky.

The series will debut in 2025 exclusively on Sky and streaming only on NOW in all territories where Sky operates in Europe. Fremantle are handling international distribution.

David di Donatello, Nastro d’Argento, Volpi Cup and Shooting Stars Award winning actor Luca Marinelli, among the most respected actors in Italy, will lead the cast as Benito Mussolini.

Like the eponymous novel, the series will tell the history of a country that surrendered to dictatorship, and the story of a man who was able to rise from his ashes time and again. The eight-part series will cover the period from the founding of Fasci Italiani in 1919 through to Mussolini’s infamous speech in parliament following the murder of socialist MP Giacomo Matteotti in 1925. The series will also provide viewers with an insight into Mussolini and his personal relationships, including with his wife Rachele, his lover Margherita Sarfatti, and with other iconic figures from the time.

Written by Stefano Bises (Gomorrah, The New Pope, ZeroZeroZero, Speravo de morì prima) and Davide Serino (1992, 1993, Il Re – The king, Exterior Night), with the series outline by Stefano Bises, Davide Serino and Antonio Scurati, the series will tell the events with historical accuracy, with every event, character, dialogue and speech documented or witnessed by multiple sources.

The soundtrack is composed by Tom Rowlands, also known for being part of the British electronic music duo The Chemical Brothers, pioneers who brought big beat to the forefront of pop culture, topping charts worldwide. They are multi-award winners, with 6 Grammy Awards, 1 Brit Award, 1 MTV Europe Music Award, and 1 NME Award.

Starring alongside Luca Marinelli: Francesco Russo (Call My Agent – Italia, A Classic Horror Story, Freaks Out) as Cesare Rossi; Barbara Chichiarelli (Suburra: Blood on Rome, The Good Mothers, Bad Tales) as Margherita Sarfatti; Benedetta Cimatti (Ricordi?, Tina Anselmi – A Life for Democracy) as Donna Rachele; Federico Majorana (Prisma, Bad Tales, Padre Pio) as Amerigo Dumini; Lorenzo Zurzolo (EO, Prisma, Baby) as Italo Balbo. Additionally, Federico Mainardi (The Return ofCasanova, The Spoiled) as Albino Volpi; Maurizio Lombardi (The Young Pope, The New Pope, 1992, Ripley) as Emilio De Bono; Gianmarco Vettori (The Beast, Briganti, Padrenostro) as Dino Grandi; Gaetano Bruno (Martin Eden, Indivisibili, The Hunter, Doc – In Your Hands) as Giacomo Matteotti; Paolo Pierobon (Rapito, Exterior Night, The king of laughter, 1994) as Gabriele D’Annunzio; Elena Lietti (Il Miracolo, Anna, A Brighter Tomorrow, The Eight Mountains) as Giacomo Matteotti’s wife, Velia Titta; Gianluca Gobbi (Fabrizio De André – Principe libero) as Cesare Maria de Vecchi; and Gabriele Falsetta (I Am Love) as Roberto Farinacci. VincenzoNemolato (La chimera, Everything calls for salvation, Supersex) portrays Vittorio Emanuele III.