Television viewers are about to get a glimpse of a famous historical icon in a new light. Starz Entertainment television channel announced a new series, Marco Polo, this past week, which will chronicle the life of the legendary thirteenth century explorer. The program will focus on martial-arts and Marco Polo’s time spent in the Far East. Created and written by John Fusco and produced by the Weinstein Company’s Harvey and Bob Weinstein, the series is expected to begin filming in 2013.

Described as a martial arts epic series, the production will follow Marco Polo’s life and adventures beginning with his time spent at the court of Kubai Khan, ruler of the Mongol Empire. Acting as Khan’s spy, amongst other roles, Marco Polo finds adventure across the Far East and returns with tales of his journey and experiences.

Starz CEO and President Chris Albrecht spoke excitedly about the upcoming production saying, “Marco Polo has captivated imaginations for centuries, and John’s script brings this fantastical story to life. In addition to a remarkable story, we share a joint creative vision with our partners at The Weinstein Company and Electus to deliver a larger than live cinematic adventure for audiences in the United States and around the world.”

“The stories and adventures of Marco Polo are timeless, and we couldn’t be more excited to work with Starz and Electus on this project,” said Harvey Weinstein. “We look forward to beginning production next year on what is sure to be a fascinating, martial-arts filled telling of one of history’s greatest explorers.”

The Weinstein Company originally developed the concept behind the new series, bringing Academy Award nominated Fusco to write the script. From there the project was taken to Electus, and the companies jointly presented the concept to Starz.

“We are thrilled to be able to work with an exceptional creative team to tell this amazing story in an updated and unique way,” stated Ben Silverman, Electus’s chairman. “Starz has been a tremendous partner in allowing us maximum creative freedom to bring audiences a fresh perspective on history and John Fusco, who lives and breathes this material, is uniquely qualified to bring this story to life.”