Marco Polo Trailer Is Full Of Swords, Sex And Stunning Cinematography

Netflix has quite a few different projects on its upcoming slate, but none are on quite the same scale as Marco Polo, the epic adventure hitting the streaming service later this year. Check out the very first NSFW trailer below, which is light on dialogue and heavy on stunning imagery.

Wow, right? It’s like the apex of geography-based picture books. I mean, it could technically be dumber than Hemlock Grove, given how little of the acting and dramatic thrust we get to see. But something tells me this will match its gears to Game of Thrones and Spartacus, giving the lush locations just as much importance as the characters themselves, and with plots guided mostly by indulgence.

Created by John Fusco, Marco Polo is based on the historical travels of the Italian traveler (played by Lorenzo Richelmy), the first European to document in full his travels into China and central Asia. Its connection to strict fact remains to be seen, though Polo definitely met Kublai Khan. Benedict Wong’s portrayal of the dynasty leader is in the trailer; Joan Chen plays Empress Chabi, Kublai Khan’s wife. As this trailer shows us, Polo’s story takes him around to many places and puts him in front of many faces. Like this intimidating bunch.

Because it’s a well-crafted synopsis, here’s how Netflix described the action-packed show on their YouTube page.

I may or may not have been acting like I was riding a horse across a gorgeous countryside while you were reading that. Not that it’s all just great location cinematography. I can get behind some wild orgies and Kabuki theater, and I love that shot with the woman holding the sword where everything is out of focus but the drip-forming blood. And the one with the bugs. And this one with all that huge army, because I’m going back to locations.

Get all of the impeccably lit stabbings, armies, sex and mountains you can handle when all nine episodes of Marco Polo hit Netflix on December 12.