Ken Burns is back with another documentary. The celebrated filmmaker is once again re-teaming with PBS for Leonardo da Vinci, a four-hour journey into the life of the gifted Renaissance artist and inventor.
With the documentary set to arrive later this year, here’s everything we know about Burns’ latest project:
Story
In this new documentary from Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon, Leonardo da Vinci will take a deep dive into the life of the iconic visionary by examining his personal journals, primary accounts of his life, and interviews with modern historians and artists who have been inspired by the Renaissance figure.
Here’s the official synopsis:
This film will tell the story of Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci, best known as Leonardo da Vinci, a fifteenth century Italian polymath of soaring imagination and profound intellect, who left behind artistic works of staggering beauty and detailed sketches of futuristic contraptions of warfare and flight that today are marveled at for their technical ingenuity and foresight.
From his birth out of wedlock to a notary and peasant woman and apprenticeship to a distinguished Florentian painter, to his days as a military architect, cartographer, sculptor and muralist for hire, the film will offer an intimate portrait of a singular visionary whose Mona Lisa, The Last Supper and The Vitruvian Man are among the most celebrated works known to man, but whose artistic endeavors sometimes seemed an afterthought to his pursuits in science and engineering.
According to The Wrap, Leonardo da Vinci will “mark a change in the team’s filmmaking style as it will include using split screens with images and video as well as sounds from different time periods.”
Cast and crew
Given that Leonardo da Vinci is a documentary, there is little news in the way of casting. However, a notable voice will most likely be used for the narrator, but for now, that information is being kept under wraps. Ken Burns is allowed to use Marvel-level secrecy, too, you guys.
Release Date
The two-part Leonardo da Vinci documentary will premiere November 18 at 8 pm ET followed by a second and final installment on November 19 at the same time. Both episodes will be two hours long.
Trailer
As of this writing, there is no official trailer for Leonardo da Vinci. We’ll keep you posted when one arrives.
Leonardo da Vinci premieres November 18 on PBS.