Tutankhamun hits the small screen in July in a three-night series, simply called 'TUT'.
Will it be awesome? Or will you be tearing your hair out in frustration?
'Tut' promises to tell the story of Tut's rise to glory, his efforts to rule a chaotic empire, and the enigma surrounding his untimely death.
And here's a tip: If you go into it expecting to be more entertained than enlightened, then you'll be fine. If the recent Exodus movie is any guide, Hollywood is great at the razzle dazzle, but on historical accuracy? Not so much.
For the TV adaptation, Tutankhamun is played by Canadian actor, Avan Jogia, with his closest advisor, the Vizier Ay, played by Academy Award-winning actor, Sir Ben Kingsley.
In case you need it, here is a quick refresher on the real Tutankhamun:
The 'boy king', Tutankhamun, was born into a time of great upheaval. At the height of ancient Egypt's glory, Tut's father, King Akhenaten, walked away from the greatest city in the ancient world, Thebes, to build a brand new one in the middle of nowhere.
Akhenaten had become obsessed with just one god, Aten, and the new city was created to support his new 'religion of light'.
Aten's moment of fame turned out to be fleeting. After Akhenaten's death, a young Tutankhamun (guided by powerful advisors) led the counter reformation, restoring the state god Amun and the old priesthoods. Tutankhamun's greatest fame however, comes from his sudden death and hasty burial in a makeshift tomb in the Valley of the Kings.
As you can see, there is already plenty of drama hardwired into Tutankhamun's real story. Now here is Hollywood's take on it:
Thrust into power after the murder of his father, King Tut is forced to marry his strong willed, ambitious half-sister in order to maintain the dynasty. In love with a commoner, he struggles to protect her from the jealous queen.
Although Tut rules as Pharaoh, he is controlled like a puppet by his shrewd Prime Minister, Ay (Ben Kingsley) and ruthless military General, Horemheb, who plot against him and vie for the throne themselves.
Tutankhamun, however, overcomes the odds, rising from a manipulated prince into an unlikely hero who triumphs over his enemies both from within and without, leading his kingdom to glory.
I like to think of it as historical fiction. It will be great to see ancient Egypt, in all its grandeur, brought to life on the screen. And if the series inspires someone to learn more about ancient Egypt, then I’m fine with some Hollywood-style artistic license.
I think Masood Harouny said it best after 'Exodus' was released last year: 'Some days you don't really care about accuracy. Some days you just want to look fabulous.'
'Tut' will screen over three nights on the U.S. cable channel, Spike, premiering on Sunday July 19.