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Portobello is the new HBO Max series directed by Marco Bellocchio, and it is already creating attention before it even arrives. Announced as the platform’s first Italian original, the miniseries turns back to one of the most striking chapters in the country’s television history. The first two episodes are set to screen at the Venice Film Festival out of competition, placing the project in the spotlight usually reserved for films rather than television.
The choice of Venice gives the release a different atmosphere. It is not only a showcase, but also a reminder that the story being told is still remembered by many. Portobello is not simply another title coming to streaming. It revisits the life of Enzo Tortora, a man whose image went from national icon to defendant in a matter of days. That transformation, unexpected and brutal, is what Bellocchio brings to the screen.
The central theme of Portobello
At the center of it all is Enzo Tortora, the familiar face of Portobello, a program that in the early 1980s had nearly the whole country watching. The numbers were staggering, reaching around 28 million viewers, and that kind of reach turned Tortora into a name everyone knew. Which is why the accusations that came later hit so hard. The series runs across six episodes and stays close to that turning point, showing how one mistake in the judicial system changed his life and set off a debate in Italy about justice, the press, and the fragile link between the two.
Venice Film Festival
The Venice Film Festival will present the first two episodes to the public. Being screened out of competition means the series will not compete for prizes, yet it still receives a place in the official lineup. That decision signals the prestige surrounding the project. For viewers, it sets Portobello apart from other upcoming television releases. A premiere in Venice guarantees global press coverage and ensures the story of Tortora is introduced with weight and seriousness before reaching a wider audience on streaming.
The story told
The narrative begins in 1982, a year when Tortora stood at the peak of his career. Every week, millions watched as he welcomed guests, stories, and even a parrot that became part of the show’s charm. On June 17, 1983, the unexpected happened. Tortora was arrested after his name surfaced during testimony from Giovanni Pandico, a man connected to the Nuova Camorra Organizzata. What initially seemed like a mistake turned into a long judicial process. From one day to the next, the face of primetime television became the subject of public suspicion. The series follows this shift, tracing the fall from recognition to accusation.
Cast and performances
Fabrizio Gifuni takes on Enzo Tortora, and much of the story rests on his shoulders. Around him, there is a wide group: Lino Musella, Barbora Bobulova, Romana Maggiora Vergano, Davide Mancini, Federica Fracassi, Carlotta Gamba, and Alessandro Preziosi. Then comes Gianfranco Gallo, who shows up as mafia boss Raffaele Cutolo. The list does not stop there, with Giada Fortini, Massimiliano Rossi, and Pier Giorgio Bellocchio also part of the project. The casting feels like a balance, mixing names that are familiar with others less obvious, chosen to bring back the mood of the early 1980s. What emerges is not only Tortora’s personal path but also a larger picture, the sense of a time and a country caught in that case.
Behind the production
Production is handled by Our Films, Kavac Film, ARTE France, Rai Fiction, and The Apartment Pictures, part of the Fremantle group. Lorenzo Mieli and Mario Gianani are credited for Our Films, while Simone Gattoni produces for Kavac Film. The screenplay was written by Marco Bellocchio along with Stefano Bises, Giordana Mari, and Peppe Fiore. Bellocchio directs with the same attention to detail that has defined his career, though here in a format stretched across episodes. The collaboration between several companies underlines the series’ international reach and the interest in presenting Tortora’s story to audiences beyond Italy.
Release and expectations
The global launch of Portobello is set for 2026 on HBO Max, where available. Warner Bros. Discovery confirmed that this is the platform’s first Italian original, expanding the growing slate of local productions with international appeal. Before it arrives on streaming, the series will travel through major festivals. Venice hosts the first showing, and Toronto includes it in the Primetime section. This path through different festivals builds anticipation and places Portobello among the most notable television premieres expected for next year.
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Conclusion
Portobello revisits one of Italy’s most remembered judicial cases, but instead of treating it as a distant story, it turns it into a miniseries that shows how fragile reputation can be. At the center is Enzo Tortora, played by Fabrizio Gifuni under the direction of Marco Bellocchio. The series is not only about reliving past events. It lingers on the clash between television fame and the weight of justice and how a single accusation can shift a life overnight. Surrounded by a cast that mixes familiar Italian names with new faces, backed by several international producers, and introduced first in Venice before moving to Toronto, Portobello positions itself as one of HBO Max’s key releases for 2026.
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