As Netflix’s repertoire of original programming increases, so does its variety. The site tiptoes into different genre territory with each new release. Political drama? Werewolf thriller? Animated comedy featuring a talking horse? Check, check, check. Netflix’s latest original comes to subscribers in the form of a period drama. Marco Polo, the aptly titled show about 13th-century explorer Marco Polo, will premiere its 10-episode first season on December 12. The show stars Italian actor Lorenzo Richelmy in the titular role, along with Twin Peaks’ Joan Chen and Prometheus’ Benedict Wong. Chinese actress Zhu Zhu will portray Polo’s love interest in the show, which will all take place across the court of Kublai Khan. As previously noted, the show will also be riddled with “sexual intrigue” and “political skullduggery.”
Netflix has also released a few stills, which, if viewed in order, confirm that Polo does indeed explore, encounter Chinese authority, fall in love, and engage in some sort of battle.