Amazon Studios Greenlights Hernan Cortes Miniseries

Amazon Studios has given a straight-to-series order to a four-hour miniseries based on the epic saga of Hernan Cortes, with Academy Award winner Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men) set to star and executive produce.

The series comes from three-time Academy Award winner Steven Spielberg (Saving Private Ryan) and Amblin Television. It is created for television and written by Academy Award winner Steven Zaillian (Schindler’s List) and based on the screenplay by Dalton Trumbo (Roman Holiday). Zaillian, Darryl Frank (The Americans) and Justin Falvey (The Americans) are set to executive produce.

Cortes charts the story of the legendary conqueror Hernan Cortes, who led a rebellious expedition to the heart of King Montezuma II’s Aztec empire, connecting two civilizations for the first time and changing the course of history.

“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,” said Sharon Yguado, the head of scripted series at Amazon Studios. “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.”

Frank and Falvey, co-heads of Amblin Television, said: “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.”

“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,” said 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.”