Show of the Week: The Maya: War of the Kingdoms

This unprecedented archaeology series combines historical investigation with AI-powered factual reconstructions to deliver a character-driven deep-dive into the vast Mayan civilisation.

The 4 x 60-minute series explores the human stories behind a host of the Maya’s most fabled archaeological sites, exploring how people lived in kingdoms such as Teotihuacán, Calakmul and Tikal, and how the rulers of these cities ultimately caused their own downfall.

The show hails from acclaimed French producer Pernel Media and was exec produced by Céline Payot Lehmann, who says the series was born out of a previous programme on the Maya.

“I produced a series called Rise and Fall of the Maya three years ago that aired on Disney+, National Geographic International, ZDF, RMC Découverte and more,” Lehmann explains. “It was a big hit - but the story that was not covered by this series was the golden age of the Maya.”

Lehmann and her team investigated the period further and uncovered a period during which powerful cities waged war on each other for almost 400 years.

“It was a real Game of Thrones of the Maya,” she says. “All the ingredients were there to tell a fascinating epic of power, treason, alliances and warfare.”

The Maya: War of the Kingdoms explores events through the 6th Century and harnesses the growing power of gen-AI to create ancient cities and show everyday life, as well as for battle scenes, weddings, sacrifices and interactions among characters.

“The whole process was done with a Mayan expert who validated each scene and everything was fact checked,” Lehmann says, adding that Pernel adheres to the European Union’s AI Act guidelines, ensuring a transparent production pipeline and the use of verified historical data, as well as clear attribution and copyright compliance.

“We worked with some of the world’s best Mayanists who are regularly interviewed in the series,” she says, adding that contributors include David Freidel (Washington University in St. Louis), David Stuart (University of Texas), Olivia Navarro-Farr (Wooster College), Tomàs Barrientos (Universidad del Valle Guatemala) and Kathryn Reese-Taylor (University of Calgary).

The show tells the story of the battle for dominance in Central America and delves into historical events to provide twists and turns, replicating a true drama series.

It is the combination of character-driven storytelling and premium factual that is engaging buyers around the world, adds Will Stapley, head of acquisitions at Sphere Abacus.

“We are finding a high demand for quality ancient history series, especially those revealing new information about well-known historical periods, civilisations and empires,” he says.

“Whilst the Maya as a topic has been covered before, the focus has usually been on the rise and fall, whereas this series looks at the Mayan golden age with the civilisation at its peak.

“The storytelling elements of this series have a bit for everyone, archaeology, access to top historians and of course phenomenal visuals that bring the Maya to life as never seen before.”