John Turturro and Rupert Everett star in TV adaptation of Umberto Eco's 'The Name of the Rose'

The television series adaptation of Umberto Eco's novel 'The Name of the Rose' premiered globally on March 4 on Rai1. Directed by Giacomo Battiato, the international co-production features John Turturro and Rupert Everett as leads. The series was shot entirely in English, mostly at Cinecittà Studios. Turturro, who also contributed to the final screenplay, praised the complexity of adapting Italian dialogues into English. The cast includes Italian actors Greta Scarano, Stefano Fresi, and Fabrizio Bentivoglio. Scarano plays a new character, Anna/Margherita, who embodies themes of gender equality. Fresi portrays Salvatore, a role expanded from the book. Tinny Andreatta, director of Rai Fiction, highlighted the series as part of Rai's internationalization strategy, emphasizing its relevance to contemporary issues like tolerance and fear. The production features meticulous period reconstruction and lighting choices by Battiato, with references to medieval iconography.