Amazon has given the greenlight to a four-part historical miniseries about the Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes.
Javier Bardem is set to star in and executive produce the series, playing the 16th century colonizer who led a rebellious expedition to the heart of King Montezuma II’s Aztec empire, connecting the two civilizations for the first time and changing the course of history.
Hailing from Amblin Television, “Cortes” is created and written by “Schindler’s List” writer Steven Zaillian. Steven Spielberg is also attached to executive produce, as are Amblin’s Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey.
“Cortes’ 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,” Sharon Yguado, Amazon Studios head of scripted, said in a statement. “There are few moments in history that shape an entire culture such as Cortes’ story, and this series will be one filled with drama and adventure.”
“We are so pleased that Amazon has given us the opportunity to bring this exciting 500-year old story to Prime Video members worldwide. It is a part of history that had such a significant impact and largely influenced modern day civilizations. With Javier as Cortes, we have the perfect star for this role, and we can’t wait to get started,” said Frank and Falvey.
“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 civilizations clash at the height of their reign,” added Bardem. “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 years, and I am thrilled to be working with this dream team of Steven Spielberg, Steven Zaillian and Amazon.”