Austria’s ORF joins Beta Film’s big-budget ‘Rise Of The Raven’

Rise Of The Raven

Austrian pubcaster ORF has boarded Rise Of The Raven, which is being billed as one of the biggest-ever dramas to come out of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).

The 10-hour series is being produced by Serendipity Point Films, Twin Media, HG Media, MR Film and Beta Film, the latter financing the show with the National Film Institute of Hungary.

ORF has joined as a coproducer, alongside TV2 Network, which will broadcast the show in Hungary and Slovenia.

The drama is being produced by Robert Lantos and is based on Bán Mór’s novels, with Hungarian Gellért L. Kádár starring as Janos Hunyadi, the army commander who defeated the vast Ottoman troops in the Battle of Belgrade in 1456.

The multi-million dollar drama tracks the adventure-filled life of Hunyadi, exploring how his life is plagued by scandal, political power plays and conspiracies between noble families from Warsaw, Rome, Belgrade and Vienna, culminating in a decisive victory against all odds at the Battle of Belgrade, which re-shaped the history of Europe.

Robert Dornhelm (Vienna Blood), Orsi Nagypal (The Deal) and Attila Szász (Tall Tales) direct, with Balázs Lengyel (Golden Life) attached as showrunner. Lengyel also writes, with George Mihalka, Balázs Lovas, Zsófia Ruttkay, Attila Veres and Mór attached.

ORF programme director, Stefanie Groiss-Horowitz, said: “Through international cooperation, we can accomplish productions that would not be possible otherwise on such a scale, and to also contribute an Austrian element.”

TV2’s CEO, Pavel Stantchev, added that the show “has everything it needs to become an international blockbuster. By defending Europe from the Ottoman invasion, Hunyadi not only became a Hungarian hero, but a historical figure of worldwide significance.”