Jules Verne’s timeless literary classic 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea is a sci-fi fantasy tale that’s been giving readers and moviegoers nightmares of a menacing giant squid ever since its 1870 publication and Disney’s 1954 big-screen adaptation with James Mason and Kirk Douglas.
Now Nautilus, a 10-episode reimagining from creator and showrunner James Dormer, is making a monster splash on the AMC cable station and AMC+ streaming platform starting Sunday, June 29, at 9 p.m. ET/PT with a special double episode debut. Starring Shazad Latif (Penny Dreadful) as the dashing Captain Nemo, the shamelessly old-fashioned and highly entertaining show depicts a remarkable odyssey that dives deep into Nemo’s origins and the construction of that sweet steampunk submarine.
Latif brings a genuine charisma and fully-invested energy to the famous role in Nautilus, which is a gorgeous production that was originally meant to be a Disney+ series before it was shelved due to cost-cutting measures. It eventually aired on Prime Video in the UK, Ireland, and other European territories in 2024 before being obtained by AMC for North American distribution.
“Sometimes things match up,” the British-born actor tells TechRadar. “And just the chance to do a South Asian role like this in a big action-adventure style is amazing. Because there’s not many shows that you have this Indiana Jones-ey, Pirates of the Caribbean feel to play a major action hero in that way. Ten episodes to explore something and do the origin story of Nemo, which we haven’t seen.
He’s always been this mysterious genius, this dark character in the books, and to do this huge revenge story and the serious backdrop fighting this horrific East India Company gave us so much to do and it was just a joy.”
The solid ensemble cast also includes Georgia Flood as Humility Lucas, Céline Menville as Loti, and Thierry Fremont as Benoit, with Richard E. Grant, Anna Torv, and Noah Taylor guest starring.
“We had a walkable, workable submarine so you could walk from one end to the other, upstairs, downstairs and then we had second set on a gimble,” Latif adds regarding the fantastic set design. “Every dial works, gas comes out of it, sparks fly, then we had the tank work. Everything was made just so much easier because the production probably spent a good year working on all that stuff and it’s pretty impressive.”
Captain Nemo and his awesome underwater craft are inextricably linked and the design of the Nautilus in this series is a stylish homage that harkens back to Disney’s sinister silhouette, yet it’s a bit more streamlined. Seeing how it was first built and created here adds to what is a totally refreshing and enjoyable series that is the ideal summertime diversion!
“I like that we see it being built and it’s this English thing and then it becomes his, because he’s the brains behind it. He’s got his daughter’s little thing on the back of the wheel, and there’s an emotional connection to the ship. It’s also what the ship comes to represent. At first it’s this raging phallic thing and it’s full of anger and he’s going to kill everyone, and then it becomes this safe haven of exploratory beauty.”
The climactic clash between Nemo and the giant squid is one of the most memorable parts of the book, especially the storm-choked choreographed chaos seen in the vintage Disney feature film with tentacles flailing. Latif promises it will be a proper showdown between man and aquatic beast!
“A lot of the underwater stuff we were underwater and a lot of it we weren’t,” he notes. “Because you could film it out of water but you’re in the dive suits and then you’re doing aerial work or getting pulled up by the wire. But those suits were so heavy and they were awful to be in. Gareth, my stunt guy, was unbelievable. He did some incredible work throughout the whole show and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without him.
“The scenes were so huge and you’re falling from this place, you’re jumping up, you’re using a spear, it was the joys of filming once again. It was a 210-day shoot and honing your craft and being in the zone for that long in that optimum Zen state can be a great feeling, even though it’s stressful and crazy and strenuous. But when it’s enjoyable, it’s great. And also just being by the beach in Australia, that was the bonus!”
Nautilus premieres on June 29, 2025 on AMC and AMC+.
The first two episodes of Nautilus are streaming on AMC+ in the US, with new episodes set to be released weekly. Meanwhile, those in the UK and Australia can watch the full first season on Prime Video and Stan, respectively.
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