The new Hunyadi series (English: “Rise of the Raven”) follows the legendary life of János Hunyadi, the Hungarian hero-governor who beat the Ottoman Empire in the Battle of Belgrade in 1456 and saved the rest of Europe from a possible Ottoman invasion. Variety reported in an exclusive article that the new “Rise of the Raven” series is already so beloved that its premiere will be at the Cannes content trade fair MIPCOM on 22 October. This will be the first time a Hungarian film gets such appreciation. We already have a teaser trailer, which you may watch below.
New Hunyadi series based on the books of Mór Bán
According to Variety, the new “Rise of the Raven” historical series is from Beta Film (“Babylon Berlin”, “The Swarm”), and its producer is Robert Lantos (“Sunshine,” “The Sweet Hereafter,” “Eastern Promises”). Lantos is a world-known Hungarian-Canadian producer whose love project is to put the life of János Hunyadi on screen, following the novels of Mór Bán. Bán wrote on his official Facebook page that the series would run on Hungarian commercial TV channel TV2 in Q1 2025.
The new series will contain ten episodes and is anticipated to climax in 1456 with Hunyadi defeating the Ottoman troops at the walls of Belgrade. As a result, Pope Callixtus III ordered churches worldwide to ring their bells at noon, a custom still preserved. You may read about that measure in THIS article. Apart from Hunyadi’s magnificent deeds, the series aims to introduce the viewer to the complex political games of Late Medieval Europe.
Gellért L. Kádár will portray János Hunyadi, Vivien Rujder will portray his wife, Erzsébet, while Franciska Törőcsik will be in the shoes of Mara, János’s first love and a gift to the Ottoman sultan by his father to please the lord of Istanbul.
International cast, all speaking their mother tongue
According to Variety, the further key cast are Mariann Hermányi (“Shadow and Bone”), Ernő Fekete (“Son of Saul”), Elena Rusconi (“6 Underground”) and directors Robert Dornhelm (“Children of Theatre Street,” “Vienna Blood,” “Maria Theresa,” “War and Peace”), Orsi Nagypál (“The Deal,” The CW’s “The Outpost”), Attila Szász (“Tall Tales,” “Eternal Winter”), and showrunner Balázs Lengyel (HBO’s “Golden Life”).
The money for the film was provided by the Hungarian Film Institute and the Beta Film GmbH, one of the world’s leading, non-aligned film production companies.
One of the series’ specialities will be that 600 actors and actresses appearing speak in their mother tongue, strengthening historical accuracy. There are some internationally acclaimed actors and actresses in the cast like Laurence Rupp (“Barbarians”), Giancarlo Giannini (“Casino Royale”, “Hannibal”), and Karel Roden (“The Bourne Supremacy”). The directors were Robert Dornhelm, Orsi Nagypál, Attila Szász, and Balázs Lengyel.
photo: Wikimedia Commons – Thaler Tamás
Village boy becomes a fearless warrior
The “Rise of the Raven” series “traces a hero’s journey from village boy to fearless warrior to the saviour of Europe, for whom the Noon Bell tolls. Since childhood, I have been intrigued by the Noon Bell. Bán Mór’s best-selling novels provided me with the opportunity to tell this story,” Lantos commented.
Lantos said they would like to conquer the world markets with the new series. One of the crucial milestones is the MIPCOM Cannes, bringing together experts from some of the world’s most-watched TV channels at the French Riviera. In 2023, there were 11 thousand participants representing 100 countries. The fair will take place between 21 and 24 October.
Lucy Smith, director of Mipcom Cannes and Mip London, said the “‘Rise of the Raven’ is epic in its story and on screen.” She called the creative team behind the production exceptional and said the storytelling was ambitious with high production values. Therefore, they are thrilled to host its premiere in Cannes, she highlighted.
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