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In Showtime’s first pilot order for 2013, the pay cable network has greenlighted a high-profile drama from Oscar nominees Paul Attanasio and Ridley Scott. Titled The Vatican, the project is described as a provocative contemporary genre thriller about spirituality, power and politics set against the modern-day political machinations within the Catholic church. Said to evoke The Sopranos and Upstairs Downstairs, the series will explore the relationships and rivalries as well as the mysteries and miracles behind one of the world’s most hidden institutions.
The Vatican, produced by Sony Pictures TV in association with Showtime and Scott Free, has been a passion project for House executive producer Attanasio, who has been working on it for a couple of years. His script started heating up at Showtime a few weeks ago, forcing Attanasio to pull out of the Rake series adaptation starring Greg Kinnear, which Sony TV was shopping. The pay cable network then proceeded with attaching an A-list director before giving the project a green light. I hear a quartet of top feature directors circled the drama, with Ridley Scott ultimately signing on for what will be his pilot directing debut. CAA-repped Attanasio and WME-repped Scott executive produce with Scott Free’s David Zucker (The Good Wife).
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Why don’t they do something similar about the Muslims. But that could be dangerous, couldn’t it-and politically incorrect. My guess is that this will turn into just another trashing of the Church that is non- factual and contemptuous. I would like to be proven wrong, but I doubt I will be.
Which, if you think about it, is basically what all Vatican-related media turns out to be.
I agree. More Catholic bashing on the way.
Factual……………..never happen however regarding the Church anything goes, lies. half-truths, and throw in a rumor or two and we can make a mini-series.
When did they change the original working title from “The Popinator”?
Showtime thrashes the muslims every week on showtime
Wow, I can’t think of anything more boring sounding than that. I watch and enjoy greatly much of Showtimes original fare, but wont’ be tuning in for this one. What a non-starter.
Yeah this one is a snoozer for sure.
All the overwrought melodrama of The Good Wife poured into what’s really the routine humdrum of some sweet old clerics in Rome. Just what the world needs…
I lived down the street from the Vatican for a bit and one of my housemates was a Monsignor in what’s basically the canon law dept there. It’s a group of good-natured clerics trying to keep from being too bureaucratic while keeping with traditions that have worked (slowly) for some time – but could use some updating. That’s about as exciting as it gets.
I shudder to think how Hollywood will portray these men.
” keeping with traditions that have worked (slowly) for some time” LOL, ONLY for two thousand years. “could use some updating” ROFL, it is funny how so many ppl think they know better the direction the Church should take.
Will this be something fresh from Scott, unlike Promethius, which was a sloppy, cud chewed regurgitation of the tired Alien narrative? He’s probably trying to score on cheap populism.
There are no miracles from God left within the walls of the Vatican. I think most people know that now days.
Actually, the Church beatifies (step 1) or canonizes (step 2) several people every year. The Native American woman Kateri Tekakwitha was declared a saint in October, along with a number of others. To get to either honor a cure in support of it must pass two scientific boards, one in the place where it occurred and one in Rome. It must be without any natural cause, whether remission, the result of medial therapies, and generally be from one moment to the next. The miracle alleged for Fulton Sheen’s cause, currently under consideration, is an American boy born at home, oxygen-deprived with no hope of survival, whose brain showed all the signs and finality that results from such events. When the mother prayed for a miracle thru Sheen’s intercession the next brain scan showed an absolutely normal brain – an impossible result. Yet, it will be studied thoroughly twice by doctors, and then twice by theologians, who determine whether it meets the theological criteria of a miracle – a super-natural effect or one God alone can do.
But, I am supposing that Showtime will put human weakness on display, and not the good of which human beings, even churchmen, are capable. As for God, well…He and his law are not very popular today.
You think a lot of things. Most of them are probably not important to anyone but you, and most of them are probably incorrect. Still, thanks for sharing.
Yes! They should get Jeremy Irons to star as the Pope. Wait, nevermind.
I do not know where the prior posts originate from but I will throw my two cents into the mix. I am in the US. In my state as I think is most likely in all the rest, if you go into an Asian restaurant you will find Buddah somewhere within. I have no problem with that. My wife is Chinese so my level of acceptance is different than most. However, I am a Catholic. I cannot think of a single public place, restaurant or otherwise where you can see a Catholic symbol of any kind. I am fed up with the lack of tolerance people have for my faith but any other is ok. So this series will do what? Enlighten the un-enligthened throngs of ignorants as to the workings of the “inner sanctuum” of the Catholic Church? Right…in the current hip venacular…”whatever!”.
Here in Virginia, we have at least two Italian restaurants that crucifixes. One even has a shrine to St. Padre Pio. Their business thrives. Lacking incentive to actually determine what actually goes on the Vatican and given their history of church bashing, I don’t think this will be any different.
I’ll have to see it to judge it. Hopefully it will be evenhanded. Church bashing is becoming cliche. We all know about the scandals. Don’t avoid them, just let the audience be aware there’s other aspects to deal with, as well.
Why do a show about the Vatican? Hardly anyone – including Catholics – pay attention to what they do anymore. But then a show about the Church (all Christian churches) and the good they do in the world would be boring in Hollywood terms.
I am sure that this has NOTHING to do with the war on Christianity.
Sadly, these people just don’t realize how wonderful the Catholic Church is. They don’t understand that the clerics in the church are spiritual leaders, not worldly leaders. Therefore, they think they are hiding secrets. I wsh Hollywood would leave our church alone and all other religious institutions as well. We deserve respect to live as we feel The Lord is calling us to do.
Simple. Bless you. Merry CHRISTmas.
Another Catholic trashing fictional series?
This show all ready exists. It’s called The Borgias. It’s on SHOWTIME.
Why would Showtime do another series on the Vatican or anything else related to it when there is already fabulous show called the Borgias on Showtime. I pray that Showtime does not discontinue the Borgias after the 3rd season as there is much more to tell about the Borgias. I think that there is quite a following – yes I understand that viewing has gone down but what about the rest of us who are hardcore fans of the Borgias. At lease one more season following season 3 should be an absolute. I watched the Tudors. I loved it. In all honesty, the Borgias is a better show in all aspects than the The Tudors, therefore, a season 4 is a must, if that is the direction Showtime feels it needs to go. I could watch the Borgias forever. Ten episodes a season is not even enough, therefore, season 4 is a must.
Why not a show on Jews? Hasidic Jews, or Chabad Jews, and their “spirituality, power and politics set against the modern-day political machinations…exploring the relationships and rivalries as well as the mysteries behind one of the world’s most hidden institutions.”
Oh, that would be anti-Semitic, right?
Just more Christian bashing from Hollywood. You do know, Hollywood people, that nobody watches TV anymore? I threw mine away four years ago, and never looked back. I don’t miss it one damn bit. The only people that watch your garbage are you and your friends.
Thanks jack. Nice to know there are only 200 million of us left watching TV in the USA.
It isn’t wrong to portray sins in a church. Satan invaded the temple and tried to attack Jesus. However I wonder why a film that protrays the church in such a positive and accurate way, as RAMBO did not recieve an award. I never watch violence but it was documented histroy of Burma and the love of Christians.
Base it on Malachi Martin’s WINDSWEPT HOUSE. It would be respectful of the spiritual reality of the Church while recognizing the political and outright malicious forces that lurk in the Vatican apparatus.
If it’s like a modern Downton Abbey, fine. But it’s on Showtime, channel of The Borgias. So…
the mysteries and miracles behind one of the world’s most hidden institutions….
Mystery of faith…yes. Miracles, rare, but yes. World’s most hidden institution…no. Anyone intent on finding out what the church ACTUALLY teaches and believes can easily find every word ever written about it in the Catechism of the Catholic church and through the papal encyclicals online at vatican.va
While what you say is absolutely true about the dear Monsignors and what in Catholic speak would be their Vocation or perhaps all the way to charism, we also have the murder of John Paul I which turned out to be true, after a concerted effort to cover it up. This is not the tabloid junk out there, but the conclusion of the Italian investigators, as well as the Church’s. Vatican Bank, child abuse cover up by Benedict so well documented that the Germans I spoke to in Munich, 2010, deeply ashamed of their former archbishop, and deeply aware of history and pride of former German Popes, one famously buried in Bamberg, could only lean over and whisper, “He shouldn’t have lied about the children” the damage he has caused the Church in his own country, after what could have been an extrodinary renewal after his election is just sad. The Jesuits right up the street in Rome and the extraordinary machinations behind the scenes with the same JP II firing the head of the order for the first time in history. The CIA working closely with Vatican officials in the collapse of communism is richly documented in Carl Bernstein’s book JOHN PAUL II AND THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF OUR TIME. I’m sure there are some lovely people working in the research department at the CIA. To suggest that the Vatican is the boring, benign place you intimate, based on such a narrow analogy I suggest is way too simple. As a faithful Catholic, I was horribly dismayed with Kingdom of Heaven and the absolutely ludicrous character given to the truly heroic Archbishop at the time. Even admired by the Arab invaders, and his obvious religious conviction played a huge part in Saladin allowing the people to leave instead of mass murder. That story is actually more interesting than the petty out taken by the director for dramatic effect. That said, if the scripts are half as good as the new series about broadcast news then it should be a real treat. I will give it a try. I doubt Scott would enter this medium without wanting to leave a mark of excellence and someone who is passionate about a work tends to put out a BAND OF BROTHERS instead of the lamentable, uninspired PACIFIC trying to just cash in.
I thought Showtime already have drama series based on Vatican
It called Borgias
Do you think Hollywood will ever do a movie about Catholic Charities and all the good they do throughout the world?
No.
If so much venom was hurled at Jews or the State of Israel as is thrown at the Catholic Church, it would be called anti-semitic and would never be aired. But the Pope is fair game and the beliefs of the Church are held up for ridicule. I hope I am wrong about this series. But I would bet money I’m not.