One of the world’s greatest mysteries is about to be uncovered, and unleashed, in The Curse of King Tut, a two-part drama starting on TV2 on Wednesday, December 27.
Casper Van Dien stars as Danny Freemont, a free-spirited archaeologist infamous for his outlandish theories about, among other things, Atlantis, aliens, and the pyramids and life and death of Egypt’s Child King Tutankhamen. Freemont is certain that, if found, the Emerald Tablet (which is rumoured to be buried in Tut’s tomb) holds the power to control the world, and assembles an unlikely group of fellow adventurers to aid his search – including a French Legionnaire, an explosives expert; a wealthy young gambler; a seductive sharp-shooter and a street dweller.
A successful expedition, though, depends on winning over the brilliant and beautiful Egyptologist Dr. Azelia Barakat (Leonora Varela), who like most serious scholars is infuriated by Freemont’s theories and his fascination with the occult. Unfortunately the one person who does believe Freemont is nefarious archaeologist Morgan Sinclair, a member of the secret cabal known as the Hellfire Council. Sinclair (Jonathan Hyde) wants the tablet to summon and harness an invincible evil, and he’s fully prepared to follow Freemont to the ends of the earth to get it.
Sinclair already possesses three pieces of the tablet, discovered by Freemont, which he has stolen. What the Council and Danny do not realise is that once the already discovered pieces of the tablet are reunited with the final piece in the Tomb, and they have been rejoined, the gates of hell will open. It’s up to Freemont to outrun Sinclair, with gun battles, kidnappings, betrayals and murder following in his footsteps as he unwittingly blazes a path into the Valley of the Kings, towards the ultimate evil.
The real King Tutankhamen was entombed for 3300 years in the Valley of the Kings in a hidden passageway beneath the tomb of Ramses VI, with archaeologists searching for the Boy-King’s tomb for years, believing it to be filled with artifacts, jewels, art, and gold. The greatest find would be the gold mask placed upon his mummy – a perfect and proportional impression of what would have been Tut’s face.
In 1922, British Egyptologist Howard Carter discovered the tomb. Shortly after, Carter’s patron, Lord Carnarvon, who sponsored the search, died of an infection. Additionally, Carter’s two assistants mysteriously died, thus marking the beginning of what became known as “King Tut’s Curse.” Reportedly, an inscription on the tomb read, “Death shall come to him who touches the tomb.” After visiting the site archaeologists and tourists often became ill or died. By 1935, 21 people associated with the tomb’s discovery had died.
Part one of The Curse Of King Tut screens at 8.30pm on Wednesday, December 27 on TV2 and part two – the conclusion – screens at 8.30pm on Wednesday, January 3.
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