Where was Those About to Die filmed? Gladiators, chariots, and LED walls – Roland Emmerich’s epic roared to life in Rome’s legendary studios and virtual ruins.
Those About to Die (2024) isn’t your grandpa’s toga party. Roland Emmerich (yes, the Independence Day guy) and co-creator Marco Kreuzpaintner serve up a gritty, adrenaline-fueled dive into Rome’s cutthroat world of gladiators and chariot racing.
The plot, short & sweet: In the ruthless early days of the Flavian dynasty, a diverse cast of outsiders, slaves, and schemers fight for survival in the Circus Maximus and the Colosseum. Fame, freedom, and a gruesome death are all one bad step away.
The stacked cast includes: Anthony Hopkins as Emperor Vespasian, Iwan Rheon (Ramsay Bolton, noooo), Sara Martins, and Tom Hughes.
Now grab your sic semper tyrannis mug – here’s where the mayhem was made.
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🏛️ Those About to Die Filming Locations & Inspiration
From Rome’s legendary Cinecittà Studios to a military shooting range in Nettuno – and a whole lot of museum-hopping for historical accuracy – here’s where the sandals hit the sand.
🏖️ Nettuno, Lazio – The Only Actual Filming Location
Nettuno, Lazio – a sleepy coastal town near Rome – home to a very un-sleepy military shooting range. Yes, the same place soldiers practice aiming, gladiators practiced dying.
What was filmed here? External battle sequences and wide shots of marching legions, supply caravans, and “we need open land without a Starbucks” moments.
The range’s rugged, barren terrain doubled for Rome’s outskirts and military encampments. Imagine a soldier setting up targets, then suddenly a chariot flies by. “Just another Tuesday at the range.”
🏺 Archaeological Park of Pompeii, Naples
The Archaeological Park of Pompeii in Naples was the primary source for everyday objects and interior decor.
Designers studied these well-preserved cities to replicate period-accurate furniture, wall paintings, and household objects. Yes, someone spent three hours staring at a Roman frying pan.
They copied wooden furniture preserved in volcanic ash, wall frescoes, oil lamps, and even kitchenware. If a slave spilled soup on set, it was historically accurate soup.
The production “duplicated certain objects” directly from museum collections. That vase? Straight from Pompeii’s ashes. (The replica, relax.)
👑 Palatine Hill & the House of Domitian
Actors and crew visited the ruins of the Imperial palaces to “immerse themselves in the history” of their characters, study the layout of the living quarters, the weight of power, and presumably, where to hide the bodies.
Yes, Iwan Rheon (Ramsay Bolton from Game of Thrones) stood in Domitian’s actual bedroom to get into the headspace of a paranoid emperor and ground his performance in the physical space of historical figures.
Nothing says “I’m ready to kill” like touching a 2,000-year-old wall.
🏛️ Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli, Naples
The Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli was a major source for the statuary and mosaics that were replicated for the series.
The Memento Mori mosaic (skull + wheel) lives here – and the show borrowed it heavily for its opening credits and thematic imagery.
They copied statues, busts, marble emperors, and that haunting skull mosaic. A dedicated team of sculptors worked to replicate specific statues from the 1st century CE period.
Trivia: The show’s logo font? Probably not from a museum. But everything else? Very much yes.
🏡 Scavi di Oplontis – Villa Poppea, Torre Annunziata
The team researched Villa Poppea for architectural details and domestic luxury settings.
Think: “What does a Roman billionaire’s vacation home look like?” Answer: Lots of frescoes, zero IKEA.
They studied wall paintings, courtyard layouts, fountain placements, and the general vibe of “I own slaves and also really good taste.”
This is where the rich Romans chilled before chariot races. The show’s wealthy characters probably wish they lived here instead of getting stabbed in an alley.
🏭 Cinecittà Studios, Rome
The legendary “Hollywood on the Tiber” played host to the entire Roman circus of chaos. Emmerich’s team famously booked Cinecittà ahead of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II, forcing poor Ridley to relocate. (Sword fight! Sword fight!)
What was filmed here? Almost everything. The Circus Maximus interior, the Colosseum’s “Underbelly” death maze, senatorial backrooms, slave quarters, and CGI-enhanced arena battles.
Because the actual Colosseum is a tourist magnet with no lions left, the production also built a 51m-wide, 8m-tall LED volume wall of 1st-century Rome – so actors fought chariots while standing inside a digital ancient Rome.
The team built physical replicas of Pompeian wooden furniture, 1st-century statues, and even museum-exact props (with permission from Italian museums). They based their 3D models on the Faber Courtial project and real archaeological maps.
The “Underbelly” of the Circus Maximus was a practical set – then extended digitally to feel miles long. The LED volume wall (51m around, 8m tall) projected photo-real backgrounds of Ancient Rome. Actors performed inside a digital history book.
Trivia: The Memento Mori mosaic (skull + wheel) from Pompeii’s museum was recreated as a floor piece. Actors literally walked over death every day. Dark. Cool.
📚 Those About to Die FAQ
Was Those About to Die filmed at the real Colosseum?
Nope. It’s mostly a ruin now. They built a partial replica + CGI extensions at Cinecittà.
Did they really kick Gladiator II out of Cinecittà?
Yes! Emmerich’s team booked first. Gladiator II had to find another home. Hollywood drama > Roman drama.
Is the “skull with a wheel” mosaic real?
Absolutely. It’s the Memento Mori mosaic from Pompeii, now in Naples’ National Archaeological Museum. The show replicated it perfectly.
Did actors actually visit Palatine Hill?
They did. Cast and crew toured the Imperial palaces, including Domitian’s bedroom, to “immerse themselves” in the characters. Method acting: Roman boogaloo.
Why study Pompeii if you’re not filming there?
Because volcanic ash preserved everyday objects like furniture and frying pans. The show’s props are painstakingly accurate replicas of those finds.
Were any real archaeological sites used as filming locations?
No – only studied for accuracy. Actual filming happened at Cinecittà, Nettuno’s range, and virtual stages.
Is the furniture historically accurate?
Painfully so. They copied chairs from Pompeii’s volcanic ash-preserved originals. Splinters included.
How did they recreate Roman statues?
A dedicated team of sculptors worked with Italian museums to replicate specific 1st-century CE statues. No 3D printing shortcuts – real artists, real marble dust.
Is there a Those About to Die Season 2?
As of April 2026, Peacock has not yet officially renewed Those About to Die for Season 2, but creator Roland Emmerich has confirmed the series is envisioned as multiple seasons with a roadmap already in place.
📺 Where to Watch Those About to Die (2024)
From the screens where you can watch it now, back to the real-world locations where it all came to life.
- Amazon Prime Video: Streaming exclusively. Yes, the whole blood-soaked season.
- Other platforms: Paramount+ (via Prime), Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube Movies.
Those About to Die proves you don’t need ancient stones – just brilliant fakes, a grumpy Ridley Scott anecdote, museum-hopping nerds, and a whole lot of LED wizardry.
Ave, true to Caesar… and to streaming queues.
- Where Was Those About to Die Filmed (and Inspired)? - April 16, 2026
- Kotor, Montenegro: A Heritage Cinephile’s Dream Destination - April 16, 2026
- Where Was Rome Filmed? Explore the Sets of the HBO Series - April 15, 2026
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