Scripted

Looking to ink the next chapter in its vaunted history, Italy’s pre-eminent independent production company Lux Vide, today announced The Rising (8x60) a next generation English-language historical drama series that will focus on the human, secular story of Jesus Christ. The creative team will shortly begin pitching potential US partners.
For Lux Vide CEO and producer Luca Bernabei this project is very personal as it serves to carry on the company tradition of creating the highest quality of family drama begun by his late father Ettore Bernabei. Setting the standard when he co-founded Lux Vide, Ettore Bernabei helped produce The Bible, one of the industry’s highest-rated and globally acquired miniseries of all-time involving a groundbreaking international collaboration of producers featuring an all-star cast.
Commented Mr. Bernabei, “Jesus completely changed the route of the Western culture, whether you are a believer or a non-believer. And after more than two thousand years, we are still here talking about him. Over two billion people around the world follow his teachings, which are still significant to everyone. This is going to be an entertaining and inspiring show, right for everyone. Especially in this moment and in this world, we need to raise our eyes and souls, following a story that has never been told enough.”
In a related move Mr. Bernabei also announced the above-the-line team assembled for The Rising, including:
Stephen J. Davis, Producer, an Emmy Award-winning producer and entertainment executive responsible for creating and producing some of the most successful television and film franchises globally including Transformers, Power Rangers and CBS’s award winning mini-series Pope John Paul II.
Daniel Knauf, Show-runner, who is best known for serving as the executive producer of such television series as NBC’s The Blacklist, creator and showrunner of HBO’s Carnivàle, NBC’s Dracula and Nick’s The Astronauts which he also created.
Jan Michelini, Director, who is best known for his directorship on the Lux Vide-produced television series: Devils (Patrick Dempsey, Alessandro Borghi), which airs on The CW in the US and Sky in the UK, Rai1’s DOC, Netflix’s Medici and the long-running hit series Rai1’s Don Matteo.
Carlos Rafael Rivera, composer, who is best known for composing the scores of Netflix’s hit miniseries The Queen’s Gambit, his Emmy Award-winning work on Godless, and A Walk Among the Tombstones.
Serving as an Old Testament expert for the production is don Fabrizio Ficco.
Davis added, “The Rising is an epic story that will capture the imagination and interest of both believers and non-believers alike. By taking a contemporary approach to the story of Jesus’s life — set to the backdrop of the nuanced political turmoil that existed in the period — we see the real characters that surrounded Jesus and how their infighting, political intrigue, and gamesmanship ultimately shaped his fate.”