Matthias Schoenaerts
Django
Overview
In the Wild West in the 1860s and 1870s, Sarah and John have founded New Babylon, a city of outcasts of all backgrounds. Haunted by the murder of his family eight years earlier, Django is still looking for his daughter, believing she may have survived the killing. When Django shockingly finds her in Babylon, about to marry John, Sarah - now a grown woman - wants Django to leave fearing he'll put Babylon in jeopardy. But Django, believing the city is in danger, is adamant that he will not lose his daughter twice.
Seasons
- Status
- Ended
- Seasons
- 1 season
- Episodes
- 10 episodes
- First aired
- Feb 13, 2023
Cast
7 people
Reviews
4 min readThe Ghost in the Gunfighter
I keep thinking about the way Matthias Schoenaerts moves through Django. Not the swagger—though there’s plenty of that—but the hesitation. The way his body seems to remember violence before his mind does, like a muscle twitching in sleep.
This isn’t the Django of Sergio Corbucci’s 1966 film, a man who dragged a coffin through the mud with the grim determination of a saint. This is a man who’s spent eight years looking for a ghost, and when he finally finds her, he doesn’t know what to do with his hands.
The series, an Italian-French co-production that feels like it was beamed in from another era of television, understands something fundamental about Westerns: the genre isn’t about the West. It’s about the weight of the past, and how it settles into a person’s bones. Here, that weight is literal.
Django’s daughter, Sarah (Lisa Vicari), isn’t just alive—she’s the co-founder of New Babylon, a town built by outcasts where the rules of the old world don’t apply. The problem? She doesn’t want him there.
And he, in turn, can’t shake the feeling that the town is doomed.
That tension—between protection and possession, between the future Sarah is trying to build and the past Django can’t escape—is the show’s most compelling thread. It’s also where Django stumbles. The series wants to be a meditation on legacy, but it often settles for the easier pleasures of the genre: shootouts, betrayals, and a villain (Noomi Rapace’s Elizabeth Thurman) whose motivations are sketched in the broadest strokes.
Rapace, an actress capable of chewing scenery with the best of them, is given little to do beyond sneer and issue orders. It’s a waste of her considerable talents, and it makes Thurman feel less like a character than a plot device.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsInside the Making of Django (2023): A Gritty Western Reimagined
Sky’s Django (2023) isn’t just another Western—it’s a brutal, stylish reimagining of the 1966 Spaghetti Western classic, set against the lawless backdrop of 1872 New Orleans. With a cast led by Matthias Schoenaerts, Lisa Vicari, and Noomi Rapace, the series has generated buzz for its intense performances and behind-the-scenes dedication. latestnetflix.com's take is that here’s what we know about the making of this high-stakes production.
A Cast Pushed to Their Limits
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AwSw91uI-I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs3dke5Sel0
The physical and emotional demands of Django were no joke. Schoenaerts and Vicari, who play central characters, underwent rigorous preparation for their roles. A behind-the-scenes featurette reveals the pair trained extensively, with Schoenaerts—known for his immersive method acting—reportedly diving deep into the role’s violent, morally ambiguous world . Vicari, meanwhile, described the experience as "transformative," though specifics on their training regimen remain scarce .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jC79OPqxvks
Noomi Rapace, who joined the cast later, brought her signature intensity to the project. In a rare joint interview, Rapace and Schoenaerts hinted at the series’ dark tone, with Rapace calling it "a story about survival, not heroes" . The chemistry between the leads was a focal point, with director Francesca Comencini (who worked on the series) emphasizing the importance of their dynamic in bringing the story’s tension to life .
Reinventing the Western for a Modern Audience
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESXafZ_jMMY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0Q0B6q-5TQ
Showrunner (identity unconfirmed in available evidence) teased that Django (2023) isn’t a straightforward remake but a "reimagining" of the original’s themes for contemporary viewers. The series shifts the setting to Reconstruction-era America, a period rarely explored in Westerns, and leans into the genre’s brutality while adding political and racial complexity . Early promos suggest a focus on revenge, betrayal, and the cost of violence—hallmarks of the Spaghetti Western tradition but with a 21st-century edge .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx2W6H9Lv0w
The production design and cinematography have also drawn attention. Behind-the-scenes footage reveals meticulous attention to period detail, from costumes to set pieces, aiming to ground the series’ stylized violence in historical realism . Sky’s involvement likely provided the budget to match the ambition, though exact figures remain unconfirmed.
**What’s Next for Django?**
As of now, details about a second season are unconfirmed, though the series’ reception (if positive) could pave the way for renewal. The cast has been tight-lipped about future plans, but Schoenaerts and Vicari have hinted at the emotional toll of filming, suggesting they’re in no rush to return .
For fans of the genre, Django (2023) offers a fresh take on a classic, blending the raw energy of the original with modern storytelling. Whether it lives up to the hype remains to be seen, but the behind-the-scenes dedication is undeniable.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.