El Turco
Trailer, Teaser & Videos
Poster & Photos
Series Details
| Based on | El Turco – II novel by Orhan Yeniaras |
| Country | Turkey, Hungary |
| Language | English |
| Genres | Action, Adventure, Drama, History |
| Season | 1 |
| Episodes | 6 |
| Release date | March 21, 2025 |
| Aired on | TBA |
| Running time | 45min |
| Age rating | TBA |
| Starring | Can Yaman, Greta Ferro, Will Kemp, Sai Bennett, Kieran O’Reilly |
| Directed by | Uluç Bayraktar |
| Written by | Kerem Deren, Çisil Hazal Tenim |
| Produced by | Kerem Çatay |
| Executive producers | Tamer Basaran, Suzan Güverte |
| Cinematography by | Tolga Kutluay |
| Edited by | Selin Eren Sahin, Arzu Volkan |
| Music by | Toygar Isikli |
| Casting by | Nancy Bishop, Beatrix Nemesházi |
| Production Design by | Domenico Sica |
| Art Direction by | Marco Torresin |
| Set Decoration by | Daniela Zorzetto |
| Costume Design by | Carlo Poggioli |
| Filming locations | Korda Studios, Etyek, Hungary Pest, Hungary Fejér, Hungary Árpád-házi Szent Erzsébet-plébániatemplom, Budapest, Hungary |
| Production Company | Ay Yapim, Film Force |
| Original Network | Gain (Turkey, 2025) (VOD, video) International: Canal 11, Canale 5, Globoplay, IVI, Mediaset Infinity, StarzPlay Arabia, TVN, Voyo |
Cast & Characters
- Can Yaman as Hasan Balaban
- Greta Ferro as Gloria
- Will Kemp as Marco Benedetti di Vicenza
- David Nykl as Prince Francesco di Paulo
- Slavko Sobin as Guido
- Hüseyin Avni Danyal as Berzan Bey
- Nigel Pilkington as Rudolph
- Jay Simon as Narrator
- Sam Pembroke as Villager
- Roderick Hill as Villager
- Robert Holik as Villager
- Sai Bennett as Diana
- Magnus Samuelsson as Gunther
- Kieran O’Reilly as Skelettwolf
- Madalena Aragão as Elda
- Veronica Ferres as Giovanna
- Caroline Boulton
- Nick Wittman as Rutger
- Ugur Yildiran
- Anders Olof Grundberg as Young Marco
- Armagan Oguz as Decebal
- Haluk Piyes as Yedder
- Pinar Töre
- Harry Szovik as Town Crier
- David Streames as Father Angelo
- Tamas Szaraz
- Barnabás Bergendi as Villager
- Ekaterina Tuchina as Widow
- Rudolf Molnár as Trento Guard
Storyline
Balaban, a soldier in the Janissary army, which consisted of European slaves who had converted to Islam, serves as an Ottoman intelligence officer. The Ottoman army loses the Battle of Vienna in 1683, and he is taken prisoner. After he escapes, he is found wounded and rescued by the people of Moena, a small town in northern Italy. He settles there and organizes a peasant uprising against the feudal overlords who oppressed and overtaxed the people. Knowing his Ottoman origins, they nicknamed him El Turco.
About El Turco TV Series
The series is based on Orhan Yeniaras’ novel El Turco – II. Viyana Kuşatmasının Bilinmeyen Yönleri, which explores lesser-known aspects of the Second Siege of Vienna. The story follows Balaban Ağa, an Ottoman intelligence officer who, after being found wounded during the siege, is rescued by the people of Moena. Settling in their village, he leads a successful peasant uprising against oppressive overlords who imposed excessive taxes.
Filming took place from October 1, 2022, to February 23, 2023, at multiple locations across Hungary, including Korda Studios in Etyek, Pest, Fejér, and Árpád-házi Szent Erzsébet-plébániatemplom in Budapest. The production brought together an international team of cast and crew from Turkey, Italy, Hungary, England, Ireland, Sweden, Czechia/Canada, Croatia, Portugal, Germany, Austria, the USA, Romania, and Slovakia.
El Turco (2025) was developed under strict secrecy, with little information revealed during filming. Actor Will Kemp only hinted that it was not a Christmas film, Hallmark film, romantic comedy, comedy, or set in the present day.
Can Yaman, who portrays the protagonist, describes his character as an Ottoman soldier who, after being wounded, finds refuge in Italy. There, a woman nurses him back to health, and he falls in love, builds a life, and ultimately fights alongside her people.
Although the novel’s cover was widely used in Turkish and international media to promote the series, it does not reflect the actual storyline. The painting featured is a reproduction of Migration of the Serbs by Serbian artist Paja Jovanović.
Even before post-production was completed, El Turco (2025) had already secured distribution deals in Turkey, Italy, Romania, Russia, and the Middle East.
El Turco Release Date
El Turco premiered on March 21, 2025.
