Amazon, Electus Plan Pilot Based On Life Of Casanova

The 18th century’s most famous womanizer is getting his own show on Amazon. The Americans writer Stu Zicherman and Electus founder Ben Silverman are planning Casanova, a period drama that will focus on the titular ladies’ man.

Before his name ever became synonymous with lotharios worldwide, Casanova was a Venetian libertine who was exiled from his home city after his adventures anger the local inquisitors. The series begins as Casanova arrives in Paris on a mission to reconstruct his life. “I thought the whole idea of Casanova living in exile in Paris was great,” said Silverman.

Silverman, whose TV credits include The Office and Ugly Betty, is also one of the executive producers for Netflix’s Marco Polo, which was recently picked up for a second season. Casanova, with its historical lens, its sexy premise, and its focus on a notable Venetian, seems to share a lot in common with the Netflix epic.

At the same time, Zicherman believes there’s a lot more to Casanova than sex appeal. “He was not a Don Juan, he never was the greatest lover going for notches on his bedposts,” he said. “He loved women deeply, finding something to love about each of them — how she laughed, how she smelled, how the hair fell on her shoulders. He also was a great writer, a musician. He was very studious and was interested in Kabbalah, dark arts and mysticism.”

Zicherman’s work on The Americans has been praised, with the FX program showing up on many critical top ten lists at the end of 2014. While no details about Casanova‘s cast or release date are available, it is likely to be one of the strongest additions to Amazon’s arsenal of pilots.