‘Nautilus’ preview: First look at ‘20,000 Leagues Under the Sea’ prequel series

We’ve finally got an update on Nautilus!

Originally announced by Disney+ way back in 2021, the upcoming drama is based on French author Jules Verne’s 1869 novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

While the classic science fiction adventure story has previously been adapted for film and TV nearly twenty times, this new British-made series tells the origin story of Captain Nemo and his iconic submarine, The Nautilus.

The ten-part series from the makers of Call the Midwife and World War I movie 1917 began filming in Australia in early 2022, but it’s had a bit of a rough ride since then.

As part of their brutal cost-cutting measures to save around $3 billion on non-sports content, Disney+ revealed this August that they weren’t going ahead with Nautilus, even though filming was already complete.

The fresh take on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea focuses its story on Nemo, “an Indian Prince robbed of his birthright and family, a prisoner of the East India Mercantile Company and a man bent on revenge against the forces that have taken everything from him.”

Setting sail with his ragtag crew on board the awe-inspiring Nautilus, we’ll see him “battling foes and discovering magical underwater worlds.”

We’d been looking forward to this show, with the show’s executive producer, Joanna Devereaux, previously describing Nautilus as “breathtaking, action-packed and a huge amount of fun.”

Fortunately, Nautilus has now found a brand new home!

It’s been announced that the series will premiere in 2024 as a special television event on AMC+ and AMC.

“We are so thrilled to present the epic adventures of Captain Nemo and his legendary submarine The Nautilus alongside the other incredible AMC universes,” commented CEOs Xavier Marchand and Anand Tucker.

“The series will take viewers on a breathtaking journey with Nemo and his crew, battling terrifying creatures and the dark forces of the British Empire,” the pair added.

Here’s a sneak peek at British actor Shazad Latif in character as Captain Nemo:

Viewers may recognise the 35-year-old London-born star from his roles in Spooks, Penny Dreadful, Toast of London, and Star Trek: Discovery.

He’ll be joined in Nautilus by Richard E Grant (Withnail & I, Saltburn), Anna Torv (Fringe, The Last of Us), and Noah Taylor (Peaky Blinders, Paddington 2).

The main cast also includes Georgia Flood as Humility Lucas, Thierry Frémont as Gustave Benoit, and Pacharo Mzembe as Boniface.

“I am hugely excited that the efforts of everyone involved in the making of the show will be seen on such a prestigious network,” said executive producer and writer James Dormer.

The former Medici: Masters of Florence showrunner has previously penned episodes of Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands, Strike Back, Sinbad, Spooks, and The Musketeers.

Jules Verne’s novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is available on Amazon.