The story of Mussolini’s rise and fall arrives on the small screen with the new Sky Original series “M – The son of the century”, broadcast on Sky Atlantic and streaming on NOW every Friday from 10 January 2025. A highly ambitious and inspired title to the novel by Antonio Scurati and premiered, out of competition, at the 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival. Behind the camera is Joe Wright, director of films such as Atonement, Pride and Prejudice, Anna Karenina and in front of an extraordinary Luca Marinelli who fits perfectly into the body, mind and soul of a figure like that of Mussolini confirming himself not only as a great performer but the best in the Italian cinema scene.

The public (and private) face of Mussolini

Written by Stefano Bises and Davide Serino, “M – The son of the century” transports us to an Italy surrendered to dictatorship by telling the story of the egocentric personality, the wicked actions, the toxic masculinity of a man who wrote one of the worst pages in Italian history . We start from the foundation of the Italian Fasci in 1919 and arrive at Mussolini’s infamous speech in Parliament in 1925, after the murder of the socialist deputy Giacomo Matteotti. The series, however, does not just talk about politics but offers a very interesting look at Mussolini’s private life by recounting his personal relationships, including those with his wife Rachele, with his lover Margherita Sarfatti and with other iconic figures of the time.

The most beautiful work seen in Venice 81

Ambitious, provocative, brilliant, M – Son of the Century is the most beautiful thing we saw at the Venice Film Festival and one of the best Italian series ever. It will be available exclusively on Sky and streaming on NOW in 2025. The one on Mussolini, in fact, is an exceptional series which in terms of quality of direction, screenplay and interpretation of its protagonists has no rivals, nor among the films in competition in Venice 81 nor among the series of the main streaming platforms.

Consisting of eight episodes and directed by a far-sighted Joe Wright, who worked on this title for six years, M – Child of the Century is a dynamic, rhythmic, overwhelming tale that is impossible not to love and that puts the audience face to face with the risks that contemporary society runs in relying on dictatorial figures in moments of fear and uncertainty.

Luca Marinelli: “One of the most painful things I’ve done in my life”

Luca Marinelli does an incredible job in becoming Benito Mussolini, he takes on his physical appearance, his accent, his tone of voice, his enormous ego. Marinelli shows us every aspect of the Duce’s personality and does so with such intensity and skill that he breaks the screen, breaking not only the fourth wall but disintegrating that imaginary barrier that arises between those who make a series and those who watch it, thus entering directly in everyone’s hearts.

“I had to suspend my judgment on Mussolini’s character in order to portray him in all his essence and as a convinced anti-fascist it was one of the most painful things I have done in my life” specified the actor during the press conference but his effort emotional was necessary to be able to result in the wonderful series that is M – The son of the century, a story that looks to the past to open our eyes to the present.

Every aspect of this series is a winner, from the direction to the screenplay, from the cast to the lights up to the perfect soundtrack by The Chemical Brothers.

Futuristic, original, provocative and provocative, M – Child of the Century is an unmissable series. To see it you will have to wait until the first months of 2025 but remember this title because it will make history, or rather, it has already made it.

Rating: 8.8

M – The son of the century, the interview with the cast