You can’t say Netflix doesn’t take risks. Hot on the heels of series like The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself, Sex Education and Lockwood & Co comes Kaos, a rather refreshing take on Greek mythology that’s also completely insane.
It is scheduled to air on Netflix at the end of August. It was created by Charlie Covell, also known as the mind behind the hit series “The End of the F***ing World”.
And the series promises to be a lot of fun. The trailer already delivers quirky interpretations of Greek myths, plenty of jokes and some really pretty crazy imagery: Here’s what we know so far.
What is it based on?
This seems to be a very loose retelling of some famous Greek myths. There’s the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice (played here by Killian Scott and Aurora Perrineau) – aka the man who followed his wife into the underworld after her death to bring her back to the surface (and back to life).
Some of the Greek gods are also represented here. There’s Zeus, the king of the gods, his wife Hera, and Dionysus, all of whom meddle in the lives of mortals. And there’s the mythical monster Medusa, who appears in the trailer wearing a turban, and Prometheus, the Titan who brought fire to humans and was punished for it by being chained to a rock for all eternity, with an eagle pecking at his liver.
But there’s a modern twist to it: this version of Zeus wears a tracksuit, the action is set in the modern kingdom of Crete (complete with supermarkets), and we get glimpses of riot police, guns, and news reports about unnatural, god-created storms. If that sounds crazy, rest assured: it absolutely is.
Who is in the cast?
The cast is packed with some pretty big names. Leading the pack is Jeff Goldblum as Zeus, the (rather unstable) leader of the gods, with Stephan Dillane as his would-be usurper Prometheus.
He is joined by Janet McTeer as Hera, his wife, New Zealand actor Cliff Curtis as Poseidon, the god of the sea, and David Thewlis as Hades (interestingly, Thewlis also played the villainous Hades in Wonder Woman). Oh, and Nabhaan Rizwan – the brother of Mawaan, with whom he appeared in the BBC 3 series Juice – plays Dionysus.
On the human side, Irish actor Killian Scott plays Orpheus, while Aurora Perrineau plays Eurydice or Riddy. Misia Butler plays the mysterious human Caneus, while Leila Farzad – aka Naomi in I Hate Suzie – plays Ari.
Most intriguingly, Billie Piper is playing Cassandra, complete with a messy wig, rotten teeth and a nose tattoo. While we’re not entirely sure what role she’ll be playing, in the myths, Cassandra was a cursed fortune teller: she could see the future, but she was doomed to have no one believe her prophecies. And to complete the cast list, there’s Suzy Izzard (aka Eddie), who plays… well, we don’t know yet. Keep your eyes peeled!
What is the plot?
The synopsis states: “For a long time, Zeus enjoyed his status as king of the gods, and his rule was never truly threatened. That is, until he wakes up one morning and discovers a wrinkle on his forehead.”
For Zeus, this is the beginning of the end: it is a sign that an ancient prophecy predicting his destruction is coming true. Zeus is convinced that his downfall is imminent and begins to destroy himself, with dangerous consequences for everyone around him, both gods and mortals.
But as the synopsis states, “He has every reason to worry. Zeus’ former friend and now prisoner Prometheus is hatching a plan to bring him down. The plan involves three different people who are completely unaware of their cosmic importance or the role they play in saving the world. No pressure. (Some pressure.)”
We assume that these people include Orpheus and Eurydice – whose story will form a significant part of the plot. The trailer shows Orpheus (unsuccessfully) shooting the god Dionysus on a beach before Dionysus offers him a deal: what if he could see his wife again?
What follows is a mission into the underworld where probably not everything goes smoothly.
Is there a trailer?
Yes, there is, and it looks totally crazy: we placed it at the top of the page.
When is the release date?
It will be released on Netflix on August 29th.
