Starz Scoops Up Limited Series Adaptation 'Amadeus'

Most television fans are likely familiar with Starz thanks to its megapopular Outlander franchise. Fewer are probably aware that it actually has a long history of acquiring and producing quality period dramas, many of which were explicitly focused on female characters and underrepresented stories. From The Serpent Queen and Mary & George to The Luminaries and Black Sails, the cable network has firmly planted a flag in this genre space that few networks can match. While their newest series is the sort of remake that many of us (read: me) might wonder why we need, there’s no doubt that it’s going to be a lavish attempt.

Starz has scooped up the rights to Sky’s Amadeus, a five-part limited series adaptation described as a “reimagining” of Peter Shaffer’s Tony Award-winning play of the same name, which Shaffer later turned into the 1984 feature film starring F. Murray Abraham and Tom Hulce. It was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won 8, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor, which Abraham took home for his performance as the Italian composer Antonio Salieri.

In this version, The White Lotus’sShaffer’s Will Sharpe will play Mozart, while Paul Bettany (A Very English Scandal) will step into the role of the composer’s infamous contemporary, rival, and possible murderer if you believe the rumors that flew following his death.*

(*No, Salieri most likely did not kill Mozart, historically speaking. But the possibility sure makes for good drama.)

This version of Amadeus aims to expand and explore the relationship between the two composers, as Salieri’s envy turns to obsession and he becomes increasingly determined to protect his own position within the musical establishment as Mozart’s star rises.

Here’s the series’ synopsis.

In the new series, twenty-five-year-old Amadeus arrives in bustling 18th Century Vienna, no longer a child prodigy and craving creative freedom, his world collides with two pivotal figures: his fiercely loyal future wife, Constanze Weber, and devoutly religious court composer, Antonio Salieri. As Amadeus’ brilliance continues to flourish in spite of his personal demons, a questionable reputation and skepticism from the conservative court, Salieri becomes increasingly tormented by this apparent divine gift. Amadeus is a threat to all that he holds dear in life: his talent, his reputation, even his faith in God. Salieri vows to bring him down. What begins as professional rivalry turns into a deeply personal obsession spanning 30 years, culminating in a murder confession and a desperate attempt to entwine himself with Mozart’s legacy forever.

Alongside Sharpe and Bettany, Gabrielle Creevy (In My Skin) stars as Mozart’s fiercely loyal wife, Constanze Weber.

The rest of the ensemble cast includes Rory Kinnear (The Diplomat) as Emperor Joseph, Lucy Cohu (Becoming Jane) as Cecilia Weber, Jonathan Aris (The Sixth Commandment) as Leopold Mozart, Ényì Okoronkwo (Renegade Nell) as Da Ponte, Jessica Alexander (The Little Mermaid) as Katerina, Hugh Sachs (Bridgerton) as Von Strack, Paul Bazely (Such Brave Girls) as Von Swieten, Rupert Vansittart (Game of Thrones) as Rosenberg, Anastasia Martin (In From the Cold) as Aloysia Weber, Nancy Farino (Masters of the Air) as Josepha Weber, Olivia-Mai Barrett (Invasion) as Sophie Weber, Viola Prettejohn (The Crown) as Princess Elizabeth and Jyuddah Jaymes (Hijack) as Franz Süssmayr.

Joe Barton (The Lazarus Project) adapted Shaffer’s 1979 play for the small screen, with Julian Farin (Giri/Haji) and Alice Seabright (Sex Education) directing. Barton, Sharpe, Bettany, and Farino all serve as executive producers alongside John Griffin, Megan Spanjian for Sky, and Michael Jackson and Stephen Wright for Two Cities Television.

Amadeus does not yet have a premiere date, but it is expected to arrive on Starz at some point in 2026.