Slovak Markiza airs high‑budget 2025 Sandokan remake as Czech TV continues with 1976 classic

A new adaptation of the adventure series Sandokan, produced for 2025 with a €30 million budget, premiered on Slovakia’s private channel Markiza. The show stars Turkish actor Can Yaman, who lost ten kilograms, trained in swordsmanship and performed all stunts without doubles. Filmed in Rome using a giant circular screen, the production features Hollywood‑level visual effects and a modern soundtrack.

The series quickly attracted large audiences in Italy, Croatia and Serbia and is available on streaming platforms. In contrast, Czech public broadcaster Česká televize (ČT) has not acquired the remake and continues to air the original 1976 version, leaving Czech viewers without access to the new version.

Markiza promoted the series as a major event, while ČT’s silence on the project has drawn criticism from fans who recall the original series’ nostalgic appeal.