An overlooked period drama series, Mussolini: Son of the Century, has captivated audiences since its debut on Sky Atlantic earlier this year. The eight-part Italian series, directed by acclaimed British filmmaker Joe Wright, charts the rise of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini from 1919 to 1925.
Viewers have praised the show on IMDb, with one 10/10 review calling it “a work of art” and “one of the most beautiful I have seen in recent times.” Another top-rated review described it as “the best most engrossing TV in years,” while a third compared it to “House of Cards meets Hitler: The Rise of Evil.”
The series stars Italian actor Luca Marinelli as Mussolini and follows his early political career, from the founding of the Fasci Italiani in 1919 to the assassination of socialist politician Giacomo Matteotti in 1924, culminating in a 1925 speech in Parliament. The show breaks the fourth wall, offering an uncomfortably intimate journey into the dictator's ascent.
Wright, known for films such as Pride and Prejudice and Atonement, told Elle Italia that he aimed to “tell the truth without being didactic” and described the series as being about “toxic masculinity.” He added, “Mussolini was fascinating, he seduced a nation and many others.”
Based on Antonio Scurati's 2018 novel M: Son of the Century, the show premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2024 before airing on Sky in January 2025. It is now streaming on Now and Mubi.
