Disney’s Atatürk series to be shown as 2-part movie both on TV, in theaters

A new biopic series on the founder of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, will be shown both as a two-part movie on TV and in movie theaters, allowing it to reach a wider audience, said a statement from Disney and the production company on Wednesday.

The first part of the Atatürk movie will air on FOX TV on Oct. 29, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the republic. The movie will hit big screens a few days later, on Nov. 3, said the statement.

The second part will arrive in movie theaters on Dec. 22, it added.

Both movies will then air on FOX again in the summer of 2024.

"We are bringing our Atatürk content to our audience on the 100th anniversary of our Republic. Cenk Soner, Disney’s general manager for Turkey, was quoted as saying in the statement.

“After the first television special version of Ataturk, which we planned as two films due to changes made to our content strategy, is broadcast on our FOX channel, the two films will be in movie theaters and later on FOX TV. Thus, we will present the Atatürk film to a wider audience,”

“As part of the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of our Republic, we are proud to be able to reach a much wider audience by broadcasting Atatürk with a special television version on FOX starting in October,” producer Saner Ayar added.

“We will present this very special production in two separate films and show it in theaters as well as on television, allowing our viewers to enjoy watching movies on the big screen."

The movie tells the story of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk from his childhood to the National Struggle – the years-long effort to win the nation’s independence – in a dramatized story that stresses his human qualities. The lead role is played by Turkish actor Aras Bulut Iynemli.