The epic new gladiator series on Peacock, “Those About To Die,” was featured prominently at San Diego Comic-Con 2024 with an hour-long panel discussing the behind-the-scenes of the series, as well as an off-site miniature Colosseum for fans to explore and enjoy. Here are all the details on the panel and miniature Colosseum that SDCC has to offer fans.

First Look at Peacock’s “Those About To Die” Panel

“Those About To Die” was released on Peacock on July 19th and this panel was on the 25th. Therefore, this panel isn’t necessarily a “first look” like the panel name implies, but it was a first look at the painstaking production that went into making the show. At 3 pm on Thursday, July 25th, SDCC goers were able to peek behind the scenes of the spectacle that is “Those About to Die” and pick the brains of the cast about their characters, costumes, and more. The panel included:

  • Roland Emmerich – Series Director
  • Iwan Rheon – playing Tenax (known for his acting in Game of Thrones as Ramsey Bolton)
  • Sara Martins – playing Cala
  • Jojo Macari – playing Domitian
  • Dimitri Leonidas – playing Scorpus
  • Gabriella Pession – playing Antonia
  • Moe Hashim – playing Kwame

Based on information discussed exclusively at SDCC, the panel explained nearly everything that went into the production of the series. From costumes and make-up to the staging and basic training the actors/actresses had to go through to be ready for their respective parts, fans were able to immerse themselves in the ancient Roman gladiator experience through the lens of the Director who has studied the Colosseum life for thousands of hours. For a quick overview of what was discussed, take a look at this three-minute video Peacock debuted at SDCC.

Perhaps the most interesting thing discussed was the integration of new, cutting-edge movie-making technology. Instead of using greenscreens like every other movie, a giant LED screen was the backdrop of every scene that would have used a greenscreen. Utilizing the latest game-making engines, the LED screen displayed these stunning backdrops which were dynamic and cut back on post-production editing. This also allowed the actors/actresses to see the backdrop they were acting in while playing their parts – a total game-changer for actors/actresses in their character immersion.

Other things that were discussed at the SDCC panel:

  • Costume creation – nearly all of the costumes were created in-house and with intricate details to further tell the story of each character.
  • Actor training – while stunt people were used, the actors did most of their own stunts when horses were involved. This includes chariot racing (a cart drawn by four horses) as well as single horseback riding.
  • Stage/Set props – nearly all of the set was created in-house and down to the very last detail to emulate the original ancient Roman architecture the Colosseum would have had during gladiator times. This includes marble columns and statues, even though they were not actually made of marble on the set.
  • And much more based on talking points of the panel as well as SDCC audience questions.

Off-Site Miniature Colosseum

Although it’s not on-site at SDCC, the miniature Colosseum created to celebrate the release of “Those About To Die” is right around the corner for the SDCC venue. Within, fans can find props used in the set of the series; a golden chariot to take pictures on; an authentic Roman noble feast (while supplies last) that can actually be eaten (while supplies last); and a miniature chariot riding game at the center of the Colosseum. The chariot riding game is much like the remote-controlled cars on a track many people played with as a kid. However, instead of a remote control, players use actual horse reins attached to a console to control their respective chariots – the better a player controls the reins, the faster the mini-chariot goes! This spectacle is available for SDCC goers to enjoy for the entire weekend (July 25th to 28th, 2024), and is an incredible homage to the series “Those About To Die.”

The first season of “Those About To Die” is available exclusively on Peacock, and it is definitely worth a watch if you have time.