Those About to Die

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Overview

Within the spectacular, complex and corrupt world of gladiatorial sports in Ancient Rome, follow an ensemble of diverse characters across the many layers of Roman society where sports, politics and business intersect and collide.

Media

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Those About to Die | Official Trailer 2 | Peacock Original

Cast

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Anthony Hopkins
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Tom Hughes
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Jojo Macari
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Iwan Rheon

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  1. Insomniacs Reviews
    6 Based on 1 Votes
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    ⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 6/10 THE SUMMARY The 2024 Roman epic that essentially asks: "What if Gladiators had the budget of a small nation but the CGI of a 2005 video game?" Those About to Die dives into the "Business" of the Colosseum and the Circus Maximus, focusing on the ruthless world of chariot racing and gladiatorial combat. Directed by disaster-movie king Roland Emmerich, the show stars Anthony Hopkins as Emperor Vespasian and Iwan Rheon (yes, Ramsay Bolton) as Tenax, a gambling kingpin who fixes races and dreams of owning his own faction. By April 2026, it remains a flashy, blood-soaked spectacle that proves Rome wasn't built in a day, but it might have been rendered in an afternoon. THE PROS The "Chariot Action" is a certified winner if you can overlook the pixels. When the horses are flying and the wheels are coming off at the Circus Maximus, it’s a Masterpiece of kinetic energy that makes you realize why the ancient "mob" was so obsessed with it. Iwan Rheon is gripping as Tenax; he brings a sincere, street-level grit to the role that keeps you anchored while the emperors are busy being dramatic in their marble palaces. It’s also a "Go To" for info on the actual logistics of Roman sports—showing how the factions (Red, Blue, Green, White) operated like modern football clubs is a 100% authentic and clever touch. THE CONS It hits a 6/10 because it is often a total head-scratcher in terms of quality. For a show with a $150 million budget, the CGI backgrounds and digital lions can look a bit "piss poor," occasionally pulling you out of the ancient reality and into a Windows XP screensaver. It misses the 7/10 mark because the plot is a massive Languid Burn of clichés; you’ve heard "keep your friends close and enemies closer" enough times to make you want to jump into the lion’s pit yourself. For a viewer in 2026, the lack of news on Season 2 is a bit of a damp squib—despite Roland Emmerich teasing more stories, the massive budget and "meh" critical reception have left its future in the vault of uncertainty. THE VERDICT A 6/10. It is a genuine, gory, and often fun triumph of style over substance. It’s a bit of a let-down if you wanted the philosophical weight of *Gladiator*, but as a "popcorn" version of Rome, it’s the crown jewel of mindless binging. It isn't exactly a must-watch, but if you’ve got a Saturday afternoon and a craving for chariot crashes, it’s better than a sharp poke in the eye with a gladius. As of today, April 24, 2026, we’re still waiting for an official "thumbs up" from Peacock for a second season, but given the outcome of the first, they might just be letting this one die in the arena. INSOMNIAC TRIVIA * History Check: While much of the show is fictional, the charioteer Scorpus (Dimitri Leonidas) was a real-life sports superstar in ancient Rome who reportedly won 2,048 victories before his death at age 27. * Hopkins' Hustle: Anthony Hopkins only appears in a fraction of the series, but his presence was the main "Business" hook used to sell the show globally. He filmed most of his scenes in a remarkably short window. * The 2026 Connection: On April 11, 2026, a major retrospective review noted that while the show was "cartoonishly soapy," it successfully tapped into a primal carnal interest in Roman violence that has kept it in the top of the "historical drama" archive. * Language Mashup: Viewers in 2026 are still making memes about the show’s "all-over-the-place" accents, which vary from Welsh and English to French and Italian, often within the same family. * Horse Sense: The "Hispanic horses" mentioned in the show refer to the Baetica region of Spain, which was famous in the 1st century for producing the fastest steeds in the empire. THE VIBE Like watching a high-stakes football match where the players are using real swords and the stadium is made of green-screen marble. It is loud, dusty, and smells of horse sweat, expensive wine, and a slightly desperate need for a higher frame rate.

Fist Air Date:
2024-07-18
Episode Runtime:
undefinedm
Production Companies:
Hollywood Gang Productions, Street Entertainment, Centropolis Entertainment, AGC Studios
Genres:
Drama
Keywords:
ancient rome based on novel or book history peplum period drama spartacus
More Show Details

Vote Average: 7.4/10

Vote Count: 320 Votes

Show Popularity: 8.6845

Show Status: Ended

Show Type: Miniseries

Spoken Languages: English, Italian

TV Show Poster

Season 1

10 Episodes

Air Date: 2024-07-18

Videos

Those About to Die | Official Trailer 2 | Peacock Original
Those About to Die | Official Trailer | Peacock Original

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Those About to Die

Comment (1)

  1. Insomniacs Reviews

    ⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 6/10

    THE SUMMARY

    The 2024 Roman epic that essentially asks: “What if Gladiators had the budget of a small nation but the CGI of a 2005 video game?” Those About to Die dives into the “Business” of the Colosseum and the Circus Maximus, focusing on the ruthless world of chariot racing and gladiatorial combat. Directed by disaster-movie king Roland Emmerich, the show stars Anthony Hopkins as Emperor Vespasian and Iwan Rheon (yes, Ramsay Bolton) as Tenax, a gambling kingpin who fixes races and dreams of owning his own faction. By April 2026, it remains a flashy, blood-soaked spectacle that proves Rome wasn’t built in a day, but it might have been rendered in an afternoon.

    THE PROS

    The “Chariot Action” is a certified winner if you can overlook the pixels. When the horses are flying and the wheels are coming off at the Circus Maximus, it’s a Masterpiece of kinetic energy that makes you realize why the ancient “mob” was so obsessed with it. Iwan Rheon is gripping as Tenax; he brings a sincere, street-level grit to the role that keeps you anchored while the emperors are busy being dramatic in their marble palaces. It’s also a “Go To” for info on the actual logistics of Roman sports—showing how the factions (Red, Blue, Green, White) operated like modern football clubs is a 100% authentic and clever touch.

    THE CONS

    It hits a 6/10 because it is often a total head-scratcher in terms of quality. For a show with a $150 million budget, the CGI backgrounds and digital lions can look a bit “piss poor,” occasionally pulling you out of the ancient reality and into a Windows XP screensaver. It misses the 7/10 mark because the plot is a massive Languid Burn of clichés; you’ve heard “keep your friends close and enemies closer” enough times to make you want to jump into the lion’s pit yourself. For a viewer in 2026, the lack of news on Season 2 is a bit of a damp squib—despite Roland Emmerich teasing more stories, the massive budget and “meh” critical reception have left its future in the vault of uncertainty.

    THE VERDICT

    A 6/10. It is a genuine, gory, and often fun triumph of style over substance. It’s a bit of a let-down if you wanted the philosophical weight of *Gladiator*, but as a “popcorn” version of Rome, it’s the crown jewel of mindless binging. It isn’t exactly a must-watch, but if you’ve got a Saturday afternoon and a craving for chariot crashes, it’s better than a sharp poke in the eye with a gladius. As of today, April 24, 2026, we’re still waiting for an official “thumbs up” from Peacock for a second season, but given the outcome of the first, they might just be letting this one die in the arena.

    INSOMNIAC TRIVIA

    * History Check: While much of the show is fictional, the charioteer Scorpus (Dimitri Leonidas) was a real-life sports superstar in ancient Rome who reportedly won 2,048 victories before his death at age 27.

    * Hopkins’ Hustle: Anthony Hopkins only appears in a fraction of the series, but his presence was the main “Business” hook used to sell the show globally. He filmed most of his scenes in a remarkably short window.

    * The 2026 Connection: On April 11, 2026, a major retrospective review noted that while the show was “cartoonishly soapy,” it successfully tapped into a primal carnal interest in Roman violence that has kept it in the top of the “historical drama” archive.

    * Language Mashup: Viewers in 2026 are still making memes about the show’s “all-over-the-place” accents, which vary from Welsh and English to French and Italian, often within the same family.

    * Horse Sense: The “Hispanic horses” mentioned in the show refer to the Baetica region of Spain, which was famous in the 1st century for producing the fastest steeds in the empire.

    THE VIBE

    Like watching a high-stakes football match where the players are using real swords and the stadium is made of green-screen marble. It is loud, dusty, and smells of horse sweat, expensive wine, and a slightly desperate need for a higher frame rate.

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