Produced by Turkish power house Ay Yapım, the El Turco made a splash at the 2024 edition of MIPCOM, where a first-look teaser generated major buzz—eventually landing El Turco on IMDb’s Top 10 Most Anticipated Series of 2025.
Poised to become the first fully English-language Turkish production to premiere in over 30 countries, El Turco tells the story of Balaban Ağa, a 17th-century Ottoman soldier who finds himself stranded far from home after being gravely wounded during the 1683 Siege of Vienna. The Battle of Vienna marked the end of the Ottoman Empire’s westward expansion – and, for one janissary, a whole new life.
Before the battle was lost, Balaban Aga was condemned to death in a brutal act of betrayal. He manages to escape but is gravely injured. When Balaban comes to, it’s in the remote village of Moena, high in the Italian Alps. The woman who nurses him back to health is but the first of many villagers to show Balaban kindness, and before long he settles into his new home.
“El Turco” becomes a protector of the village, helping them resist their feudal lord’s brutal taxes. Things escalate until one of his old enemies, the ruthless knight Marco, turns up, and Balaban must assemble a team for the final showdown. A witch turns into a healer, a homeless girl becomes the first female janissary, and a one-armed blacksmith emerges as the village savior to help El Turco fight for Moena.
