Production Deal Inked for East of Byzantium

LOS ANGELES—Visual Effects Veteran Roger Kupelian (Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Flags of Our Fathers), Emmy Nominated Documentary Filmmaker William Martens, and multiple international award winning producer Seda Melkoni of Journey Pictures, have teamed up to produce the epic documentary mini-series “East of Byzantium: War Gods & Warrior Saints.”

Inspired by the graphic novel created by Roger Kupelian, forensic and exacting historical research will guide the telling of this epic true story. If ever there was a real “Game of Thrones,” this is it. The visually stunning documentary mini-series will explore the little known but pivotal era in world history spanning Rome’s last era of glory, the birth of Christianity as an organized and state supported religion, the myriad cultural and religious tides of the time, and the battles between the ruling empires and houses of nobility that would decide the fate of the Caucuses, the real Middle Earth, and ultimately the fate of the Western World. War Gods and Warrior Saints brings heroes, heroines, barbarian hordes, and epic battles to life in this true telling of the tug-of-war that profoundly affected the future of humankind.

Privately financed, production is set to begin in June and will be presented to the networks by early fall 2014. Grammy winner Serj Tankian (System of a Down) is in talks to compose the score.