The Sinking of the Titanic is Now Set to Become a Mini Series

In 1997 James Cameron treated audiences around the world to one of the most spectacular movies of all time, Titanic, which centered around the love affair between Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.

To commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, a new production of the maiden voyage of this fated ship is is being created as a 4 part mini-series, and the writer is none other than the creator of Downton Abbey, Julian Fellowes, according to The Sun newspaper.

The James Cameron version of Titanic that was released in 1997 was not the first movie about the ill fated ship to feature well known stars. Prior to this, the 1958 version of the story, A Night To Remember, starred Sir Kenneth More, as well as several lesser known actors of the day, Honor Blackman and David McCallum.

A new version of the story, despite it being told numerous times before, is likely to be a huge success, both with the recent international success of the period drama Downton Abbey, as well as the upcoming 100^th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic on 15^th April 2012.

Period dramas are something that British television producers have always achieved international success with, and ITV's Downton Abbey proved itself in 2010 to be no exception to the rule. The fact is, people all over the world love a good period drama.

Not much information is available yet on the upcoming Titanic mini-series, other than it is to be filmed in Hungary, using the largest indoor water tank in Europe, and will also feature a recreation of a large part of the ship.

The mini-series will yet again include a love story, according to The Sun, although it will be a different story to the one that many Titanic lovers are familiar with from the James Cameron version, between Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater, played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. It will definitely be interesting to see what kind of spin Julian Fellowes will put on the Titanic story.

Apparently ITV are going all out to make the Titanic mini-series a success, which is good news for fans of this type of television drama series. This is going to be a big budget production and will feature some big names in the cast.

The initial viewing date for this production is to be April 2012, with the final part of the saga quite possibly to be aired on 15th April, 100 years to the day after the great ship sunk beneath the cold grey waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Television shows are usually shown in the country where they are produced, and then sold on to the international market and shown later in other countries. With the centenary of the sinking of the Titanic being such a big event however, it is quite likely that this series will be shown on the same dates around the world, or at least on both sides of the Atlantic, although nothing to this effect has been announced.

No cast names have yet been officially announced so far for the Titanic mini-series, however The Mirror reports that Helen Mirren and Romola Garai (Atonement) have been in talks with the producers.

In the city of Southampton, which is where the Titanic sailed from, it is expected that there will be a number of events taking place to mark the 100^th anniversary of this tragedy, and you can be sure that living here, this reporter will be covering them.

Sources:

Titanic Goes Downton

Helen Mirren Linked To Titanic Drama

Titanic Cruise To Mark Anniversary Of Fateful Voyage

A Night To Remember