Encore aims to tell the tale of the doomed Titanic’s construction in a 12-part miniseries debuting Oct. 8.
The mini, titled Titanic: Blood and Steel, is set in Belfast, Ireland, during the early 20th century. It stars Chris Noth (Sex and the City) as J.P. Morgan, the Titanic owner who has ambitious dreams to build a passenger ship of unparalleled size and luxury.
Titanic’s cast also includes Derek Jacobi (The King’s Speech) as Lord William Pirrie, the struggling chairman of the Harland and Wolff shipyard; Kevin Zegers (Gossip Girl) as the fictitious Mark Muir, an inquisitive scientist who raises many questions throughout the ship’s construction; Neve Campbell (Scream) as Joanna Yaeger, a progressive American journalist with ulterior motives; and Alessandra Mastronardi (To Rome With Love) as Sofia Silvestri, a skilled copyist who seeks to break the societal constraints of women.
In this clip, which is exclusive to The Hollywood Reporter, Noth’s Morgan outlines his plans for generating publicity for the ship, three years before construction is due to be finished, to Campbell’s Joanna and Jacobi’s Pirrie.
“In three years’ time, when we launch this ship, the world will already know the story of her greatness,” he says. “People’s fascination with it should start now. We need to make a ship that people are compelled to travel on just so they can say they have.”
He adds: “Today we start building a legend that will last a thousand years. Titanic will be the eighth wonder of the world. It will outlive us all.”
Encore’s mini runs Oct. 8-13, with two hourlong episodes airing each night as part of the network’s “The Big Miniseries Showcase.”
