When you hear the words Martin Scorsese and HBO, you know you're in for good television.

So when we heard about his upcoming historical epic about Spanish conquistadors, we were in.

Scorsese and Benicio Del Toro are joining forces with Chris Gerolmo, writer of FX's Over There and the US remake of The Bridge, to tell the story of Hernan Cortes.

Don't know who he is? Quick history lesson, so. Cortes and his merry band of conquistadors - that's conquerors, basically - cut a path across Mexico in the 16th century and brought down the Mayans. On the one hand, he brought modern civilisation to South America. On the other, he was a mass-murderer who enslaved thousands and destroyed one of the longest-standing civilisations in the world.

Scorsese already has other irons in the fire at HBO. He's been working on another show about a record company in the 1970's with Mick Jagger that sounds all kinds of amazing.

Del Toro, on the other hand, will be taking his first steps into TV with this venture.

Not a bad start for Del Toro, eh? HBO, Martin Scorsese, sprawling historical epic. Most people have to do a stint on Law & Order.

 

via Deadline.com