Peter Shaffer's Play "Amadeus" to be Adapted for Television Series

The limited series will star Will Sharpe as Mozart and Paul Bettany as Salieri

 

A new Sky Original Limited Series will produce a fresh version of the Peter Shaffer play Amadeus, which loosely follows Mozart's life between the age of 25 and his death — and dramatizes his relationship with his Vienna-based contemporary, Antonio Salieri.

The series will star Emmy-nominated and BAFTA-winning actor Will Sharpe as Mozart, while BAFTA and Emmy-nominated British actor Paul Bettany will take the role of Salieri. Sharpe has recently been seen in Giri/Haji and The White Lotus, while Bettany's recent projects include A Very British Scandal and WandaVision.

Shaffer's original play was first presented at London's Royal National Theatre in 1979, and it went on to win the Tony Award for Best Play in 1981. Shaffer himself then adapted it for the much beloved Miloš Forman film of 1984, which starred Tom Hulce as Mozart and F. Murray Abraham as Salieri.

Amadeus will be produced by Two Cities Television (part of STV Studios) in association with Sky Studios. Paul Gilbert and Megan Spanjian will serve as the Executive Producers from Sky Studios, while Michael Jackson (Patrick Melrose) and Stephen Wright (Blue Lights) are the Executive Producers from Two Cities Television. Julian Farino and Alice Seabright will direct the series.

Production is due to begin in Spring 2024, and once released, the series will be available exclusively on Sky.

"I can’t wait to work with Julian Farino, Joe Barton, Sky and Will Sharpe who, for my money, is hands down the most exciting actor of his generation," said Paul Bettany.