'Nautilus' c Moonriver

Source: Moonriver

‘Nautilus’

AMC has secured North American rights to Disney’s live-action UK series Nautilus based on Jules Verne’s novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea.

The 10-episode drama was originally commissioned by Disney+ in the UK but was axed by the streamer earlier this year as part of cost cuts. It will air in the US and Canada on AMC and its streaming platform AMC+ in 2024.

Nautilus tells the origin story of Captain Nemo who appears in several of Verne’s books as a sea captain seeking vengeance on British Imperialism. Shazad Latif stars in the series alongside Georgia Flood, Thierry Fremont and Céline Menville while guest actors include Richard E Grant, Anna Torv and Noah Taylor.

It is written and executive produced by James Dormer and is developed and produced by Moonriver TV’s Xavier Marchand and Seven Stories’ Anand Tucker. It is also executive produced by Johanna Devereaux, Chris Loveall, Colleen Woodcock and Daisy Gilbert. Cameron Welsh serves as producer and Michael Matthews is the lead director.

Marchand and Tucker said: “We are so thrilled to present the epic adventures of Captain Nemo and his legendary submarine The Nautilus alongside the other incredible AMC universes. The series will take viewers on a breathtaking journey with Nemo and his crew, battling terrifying creatures and the dark forces of the British Empire.” 

Ben Davis, executive vice president of original programming for AMC Networks and AMC Studios, commented: “Nautilus is a big, sweeping drama that is sure to appeal to fans of our expanding universe around The Walking Dead, the works of Anne Rice, and other buzzy and fan-forward series like Orphan Black: Echoes. We are looking forward to bringing it to AMC+ and AMC as a special television event next year.”

Previous adaptations of the book include the 1954 Disney film with James Mason and the 1997 ABC miniseries starring Michael Caine.