The new series Sandokan — inspired by the novels of Emilio Salgari — premiered yesterday, 1 December 2025, on Rai 1, scheduled across four prime-time evenings (eight episodes in total). It will also be available to stream on RaiPlay and will later arrive on Disney+ for international distribution.
The international project is produced by Lux Vide in collaboration with Rai Fiction, directed by Jan Maria Michelini and Nicola Abbatangelo, with the story by Alessandro Sermoneta, Davide Lentieri and Scott Rosenbaum. Cinematography is by Valerio Evangelista CCS, Alessandro Pesci CCS and Mirco Sgarzi CCS, production design by Luca Merlini, and costumes by Angelo Poretti and Monica Saracchini. The main cast features Can Yaman as Sandokan, Alanah Bloor as Lady Marianna Guillonk, Alessandro Preziosi as Yanez de Gomera, Ed Westwick as Lord James Brooke and John Hannah as Sergeant Murray, joined by Madeleine Price, Owen Teale, Mark Grosy, Lucy Gaskell, Sergej Onopko and others.
Set in 1841 in Borneo, the series recounts Sandokan’s origins: a feared and free pirate who, together with his friend Yanez and his crew, fights against colonial powers and defends the freedom of the native population. Everything changes when, during a raid on the island of Labuan, he meets Marianna, the daughter of the British consul, and falls in love. This encounter overturns his destiny, leading him to discover his true identity and a greater mission. Meanwhile, Lord Brooke — pirate hunter and Marianna’s suitor — becomes his arch-enemy.
The series seeks to pay homage to the myth created in the ’70s while offering a modern reinterpretation: the protagonist’s transformation from adventurer to symbol of justice, a tormented love story and a strong focus on the theme of freedom, blending action, adventure and introspection.
