2019 looks set to be a huge year for fans of Steven Spielberg, as the iconic director is apparently hard at work behind the scenes developing a new mini-series that will be exclusively available to viewers on Amazon. The mini-series, which will be called Cortés, will focus on Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortés, depicting his battle to take over the Aztec Empire and his relationship with Montezuma, the leader of the Aztecs. There has always been a fascination with Aztecs and Montezuma, which has been underlined by this famous leader being honored by renowned gaming company WMS Interactive creating a game bearing his name.
It’s believed that Javier Bardem, an Academy Award-winning actor, will take on the lead role in Spielberg’s mini-series, with the role likely to fit him down to the ground. Spielberg is believed to have been focused on this project for several years now, but there was talk of HBO developing something similar with Benicio Del Toro and Martin Scorsese. This was expected to be quite good considering HBO are the ones that gave us Game Of Thrones. However, it seems their project stalled. This has left Spielberg and Amazon in pole position to press ahead, something which they have been keen to do. The mini-series is expected to be four hours long in running time.
As everybody will expect, Cortés is undoubtedly going to be packed full of quality, especially with Steven Spielberg taking on the role of director, but the script should be mindblowing too as it has been written by Steve Zaillian, who won an Oscar for Schindler’s List. The script, as it goes, is based on one written 50 years ago by Dalton Trumbo, who was blacklisted along with others in the Hollywood Ten.
In terms of the story, it will center in on Cortés, who is believed to have changed the course of history when his expedition was responsible for the fall of the Aztec Empire. Cortés was a Spanish settler and he oversaw victory over the Aztec Empire on August 13, 1521. This was achieved when a coalition army which featured the Spanish, as well as native Tlaxcalan warriors, teamed up with Cortés and Xicotencatl the Younger.
Javier Bardem, primed to play the lead role in the mini-series, spoke ahead of production and said, “It is a privilege to tell this epic story – one that is full of drama and conflict within this huge, historical spectacle where two distant civilisations clash at the height of their reign. The best and worst of human nature came to life in all its light and darkness. As an actor, there is no better challenge than to serve such a unique project that I have been passionate about for year.”
Sharon Yguado, the head of scripted series at Amazon, added: “Cortés’ epic discoveries shaped the world as we know it today, and through the minds of Amblin, Steven Spielberg, Steve Zaillian, and Javier Bardem, we will bring Prime Video members on an exhilarating journey. There are few moments in history that shape an entire culture such as Cortés’ story, and this series will be one filled with drama and adventure.”
2 Comments
I am looking forward to this so much! An era where two civilizations come together while having no idea of each other’s existence. What a fascinating moment in our history as mankind. The contact tore the world apart but ultimately brought us together.
Zeitgeist! I first read Cortes’ journal (hard cover book) in 2010 when I lived with a Mexican stand-by painter working on “The Hangover II” When I moved to a house on a Pacific Palisades mountain (Chatauqua) top, I discovered it had been vacated recently by an elderly Catholic woman who had passed away.
She left an amazing library facing the Pacific out the living room window and two books on Cortes practically leaped out at me. I knew then, Spring of 2016, that I had to write the script. It didnt hurt that I was in love with a Mexican model living near Cozumel, where Cortes first landed.
After exhaustive research, I started writing and am now on page 45 of a first draft.
Just minutes ago, I received an urgent request to get a pitch deck and poster to someone connected to an investor.
Game on!
How can I possibly compete with perhaps the greatest producer/director of our time when I am an uncredited nobody?
All I can say is, BURN THE BOATS!