Turkish Star Can Yaman Set for Mipcom Launch of English-Language Action Series ‘El Turco’: ‘I’m Looking Forward to Sharing It With the World’ (EXCLUSIVE)

As a seasoned movie critic with a penchant for international cinema and a soft spot for historical dramas, I must say that the upcoming series “El Turco” has piqued my interest significantly. The multi-national cast, action-adventure genre, and the lead role played by the charismatic Can Yaman, who is stepping out of his comfort zone with this English-language project, makes for an intriguing blend.


The popular Turkish actor Can Yaman, known for his roles in “Daydream” and “Bitter Sweet,” is preparing to attend the upcoming Mipcom TV market in Cannes. There, he will be promoting the English-language drama “El Turco,” where he portrays a legendary figure who serves as a bridge between Turkey and the Western world.

The groundbreaking six-part series titled “El Turco,” boasting an illustrious ensemble of actors hailing from nine distinct nations, will blend history, action-packed adventure, and romance. This captivating production will make its debut at Cannes, courtesy of Turkish distributor Madd Entertainment, who aim for a worldwide release in February 2025.

In the Turkish series “El Turco,” produced by Ay Yapim, the actor Yaman portrays Hasan Balaban, a 17th-century Ottoman soldier named Hasan who was injured during Turkey’s campaign to capture Vienna in 1683 and found himself 200 kilometers away in an Italian Alpine village called Moena. The villagers gave him the nickname “El Turco.” He then led the locals in a rebellion against unjust taxes, earning him local hero status.

In a comment addressed to EbMaster, Yaman mentioned that working on the movie “El Turco” in Hungary was an exciting yet challenging experience, with moments that were particularly tough.

Yaman shared, “I needed to lead a lifestyle similar to an athlete. I had to master various abilities, including horseback riding, swordsmanship, combat, and so forth. Additionally, since this is my debut acting in English, I had to improve my language skills. Furthermore, as the genre was unlike anything I’d worked on before, with a multinational cast, I had to challenge myself in many ways as an actor.

He stated, “I think the result will be unlike anything I’ve accomplished previously, and just contemplating its potential success makes me restless. I can hardly wait to unveil it to the world and keep my hopes high.

On October 21st at 6 p.m., Yaman plans to participate in an event titled “Welcome to the Next Chapter of Turkish Dramas,” hosted by Madd, taking place in the Cannes Carlton Grand Salon. This event will reveal “El Turco” footage for the first time. The focus of the evening is discussing strategies for Turkey, currently the world’s second-largest TV series exporter after the U.S. and U.K., to expand its reach into markets such as the U.K., U.S., Australia, and Canada.

Kerem Catay, the head honcho at Ay Yapım, has labeled “El Turco” as a deeply personal endeavor aimed at elevating Turkish soap operas to new heights.

He mentioned a script set in a quaint Northern Italian town, but with an interesting twist – the story is based on real events and features characters hailing from diverse nations. Notably, the lead character is a valiant Turk, yet the dialogue throughout the production will be in English.

Çatay remarked, “I’m curious to see how international audiences react, since this is the first time they’ll encounter a character like a Turkish Janissary, a member of the ancient Turkish Sultan’s guard.

During the 17th century, the people of Moena constructed a tribute to a Turkish janissary in their central plaza. To this day, they commemorate this tradition by hosting the Moena Turkish Festival during the first week of August, celebrating “El Turco.

In addition to Yaman, the cast of “El Turco” includes Will Kemp (known for “The Christmas Waltz”), David Nykl (famous for “Sleepers”), Kieran O’Reilly (recognized from “Vikings”), Veronica Ferres (who appeared in “Berlin, I Love You”), and Maddalena Aragão (noted for “Strawberries With Sugar”).

The show was created by Kerem Deren and Çişil Hazal Tenim, with Uluç Bayraktar (“Ten Days of a Bad Man”) serving as director. Domenico Sica, known for “Wonder Woman,” handled the production design, while Carlo Poggioli, from “The New Pope,” worked on the costumes.

Originally, the show was a Turkish original produced exclusively for Disney+. However, it seems that Disney+ decided to no longer stream the series in April, causing the rights to be returned to Ay Yapim instead.

Ates Ince, the managing director of Madd (a collaboration between Ay Yapim and Medyapim, two prominent Turkish production companies), announced that “El Turco” will embark on a global tour in February 2025 to garner attention. He emphasized that the simultaneous release strategy for the show is designed specifically to combat piracy. Ince further explained that the core idea behind “El Turco” is to offer a unique perspective of Turkish dramas, not just as filler content for general TV stations, but as a high-quality production with global appeal.

Additionally, Ince mentioned that Mad already boasts a number of “El Turco” agreements sealed with various outlets across Italy, Romania, Russia, Turkey, and the Middle East. He expressed optimism about securing further deals in the near future.

Turkish Star Can Yaman Set for Mipcom Launch of English-Language Action Series ‘El Turco’: ‘I’m Looking Forward to Sharing It With the World’ (EXCLUSIVE)

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2024-10-03 17:48