After making a great first impression at the 2025 Venice Film Festival, Portobello is finally set to release on HBO Max. The series is the platform's first original Italian production. It will follow the story of TV presenter Enzo Tortora, who, at the height of his career, is arrested by the Italian police for supposedly being a member of the Camorra crime organization.
The biographical TV series is six episodes long and is directed by Marco Bellocchio, one of the most influential contemporary Italian filmmakers. Portobello feels like an authentic and cross-cultural addition to HBO's sturdy crime drama catalog. Here's the full release schedule so you don't miss any episodes.
Portobello full release schedule on HBO Max
The first two episodes of Portobello were released at the Venice Film Festival to widespread critical acclaim. Now the show is finally getting a global release on Friday, Feb. 20. According to Warner Bros. Press, episodes of the miniseries will drop weekly on HBO Max.
Portobello is Bellocchio's second historical miniseries after 2022's Exterior Night. While it recounts a true Italian investigation from the 1980s, its outstanding production quality gives the series a strong appeal for international audiences.
Here's the full release schedule for Portobello on HBO Max:
- Episode 1: Friday, Feb. 20
- Episode 2: Friday, Feb. 27
- Episode 3: Friday, Mar. 6
- Episode 4: Friday, Mar. 13
- Episode 5: Friday, Mar. 20
- Episode 6: Friday, Mar. 27
What to expect in HBO Max's Portobello
Portobello is billed as a 1980s-set crime drama detailing the scandalous true story behind the fall of an innocent man. The Tortora case is regarded as one of the most infamous miscarriages of justice in Italy, making it a perfect story to introduce to a broader audience on HBO Max.
Here's the official synopsis of Portobello:
"1982. Enzo Tortora is at the height of his success. He hosts Portobello and reaches 28 million primetime viewers, all waiting for the contestant who will manage to make the show’s famous parrot speak. President Pertini names him Commander of the Republic. Tortora is the king of 1980s Italian TV, and his show both reflects and comforts the nation. At the same time, the Irpinia earthquake delivers the final blow to the fragile balance within the Nuova Camorra Organizzata. Giovanni Pandico, a trusted associate of boss Raffaele Cutolo and an avid Portobello viewer from his prison cell, decides to turn state witness. While being questioned, he gives an unexpected name: Enzo Tortora."
Viewers can expect to be transported to Italy in the '80s, as Portobello revels in extravagant production design and distinctive costumes of that era. The series offers a profound examination of a failed judicial system and the media's role in aggravating public scandal.
Portobello cast and characters
As Portobello is HBO Max's first Italian production, the cast consists mainly of Italian actors. Here's the full list of them:
- Fabrizio Gifuni as Enzo Tortora
- Lino Musella as Giovanni Pandico
- Romana Maggiora Vergano as Francesca Scopelliti [it]
- Barbora Bobuľová as Anna Tortora
- Gianfranco Gallo [it] as Raffaele Cutolo
- Alessandro Preziosi as Giorgio Fontana
- Valeria Marini as Moira Orfei
- Fabrizio Contri [it] as Cino Tortorella
- Tommaso Ragno as Marco Pannella
- Fausto Russo Alesi
- Alma Noce
- Massimiliano Rossi [it]
- Antonia Truppo
- Salvatore D'Onofrio
Watch new episodes of Portobello season 1 weekly on Fridays only on HBO Max. Stay tuned for more news about the hit TV series.