Amadeus (2026): A Fierce Symphony of Genius, Obsession & Betrayal Takes Over Sky This December

Some stories don’t just return — they reignite.

And Amadeus (2026) is arriving like thunder.

On December 21, Sky and NOW unveil a sweeping five-part reimagining of Peter Shaffer’s iconic masterpiece. This time, Mozart’s meteoric rise and catastrophic fall are told with modern intensity, lavish period world-building, and performances that feel destined to dominate the awards season.

Will Sharpe. Paul Bettany. Gabrielle Creevy.Three actors — one explosive collision of ambition, faith, jealousy, and genius.

🎼 A Reborn Legend: What Is Amadeus About?

Forget the historical summaries you’ve heard before.

Amadeus plunges you directly into 18th-century Vienna — a city bursting with music, ego, decadence, and ruthless competition.

Twenty-five-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart arrives hungry for creative freedom. No longer the wide-eyed prodigy paraded across European courts, he wants to shape music on his terms — bold, wild, emotionally unrestrained.

Vienna isn’t ready for him.

But someone else is.

Standing in his path is Antonio Salieri, the devout court composer whose perfectly crafted world is shattered the moment he realizes the truth:

Mozart possesses a divine genius that he can never match.

What begins as admiration curdles into envy… then into obsession… and finally into a rivalry so vicious it consumes both men’s lives.

Alongside them stands the one person who sees Mozart fully — constantly brilliant, constantly flawed — his fiercely loyal wife Constanze Weber, portrayed with intimate emotional depth by Gabrielle Creevy.

This is not a music biopic.

It is a psychological duel.

A slow burn of ego, faith, and desperation that spans decades and ends with a confession that changed history.

🔥 Why This Amadeus Hits Different

Most adaptations of Mozart’s story lean into elegance and genius.

This one leans into rage, fear, and the suffocating pressure of brilliance.

The show is:

⚡ Gritty

You feel the sweat, the paranoia, the suffocating court politics, and Salieri’s escalating madness.

🎭 Operatic

Not just in music — but in emotions. Every scene is staged with intensity, drama, and impossible stakes.

🎹 Modern in spirit

Sharp writing from Joe Barton (Giri/Haji, The Lazarus Project) injects contemporary energy without breaking period authenticity.

📽️ Cinematic to the core

Lavish sets, exquisite costumes, candlelit interiors, and a Vienna that feels alive with tension.

💥 Powered by two career-defining performances

Will Sharpe’s Mozart is electric.

Paul Bettany’s Salieri is volcanic.

This series doesn’t retell Amadeus.

It revitalizes it.

⭐ The Cast: A Symphony of Powerhouse Performances

Will Sharpe — Mozart

Rebellious, brilliant, chaotic, heartbreaking. Sharpe plays Mozart like the rockstar of his era — a genius burning too bright to survive.

Paul Bettany — Antonio Salieri

A masterclass in controlled fury. Bettany delivers Salieri as a man torn between devotion and jealousy, worshipping the very talent that destroys him.

Gabrielle Creevy — Constanze Weber

Fierce, vulnerable, and deeply human, she becomes the emotional anchor of Mozart’s unraveling world.

🎬 The Full Cast Lineup

Featuring an impressive ensemble:

• Rory Kinnear as Emperor Joseph

• Jonathan Aris as Leopold Mozart

• Ényì Okoronkwo as Da Ponte

• Jessica Alexander as Katerina

• Lucy Cohu, Hugh Sachs, Paul Bazely, Rupert Vansittart

• Viola Prettejohn, Nancy Farino, Anastasia Martin

• Jyuddah Jaymes as Franz Süssmayr

Every character feels layered, interconnected, and vital to Mozart’s mythic downfall.

🌟 Behind the Scenes: Why This Adaptation Matters

Amadeus is produced by Two Cities Television in collaboration with Sky Studios, with creative leadership from:

• Joe Barton, showrunner & lead writer

• Julian Farino and Alice Seabright as directors

• Will Sharpe, Paul Bettany, Joe Barton, and Farino are also serving as executive producers

The result?A prestige-level production crafted with the care of a historical drama and the momentum of a psychological thriller.

📺 Where to Watch Amadeus (2026)

Amadeus premieres December 21 exclusively on Sky and NOW.

All five episodes are released as a premium limited series event — ideal for holiday bingeing and guaranteed to spark cultural conversation.

🎻 Final Verdict: A Must-Watch Triumph

If you love:

• Prestige period dramas

• Rivalry-driven character studies

• Rich historical storytelling

• Intense psychological showdowns

• Shows like The Crown, Marie Antoinette, The Great, or Fleabag (for the emotional punch)

…then Amadeus is about to become your next obsession.

This isn’t just the story of Mozart.

It’s a story about genius vs. God, legacy vs. envy, and the devastating cost of brilliance in a world that demands conformity.

December 21 can’t come soon enough.