The upcoming “Amadeus” limited series starring Will Sharpe is being raked across the coals after Sky released its first-look teaser this week, with fans of the original 1984 Best Picture winner decrying, “Not a single person was asking for this.”
The Sky Original, which is set to premiere in December, dropped a first-look for the reimagining of Peter Shaffer’s 1981 play-turned-1984 film, was put on blast in part for its leading man. Sharpe is half-Japanese, and and real-life composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was not Asian.
“I had no idea Mozart was East Asian,” one X user quipped. “It’s a good thing we have Hollywood to provide such historical accuracy here. Were something irregular to happen, like Hollywood portray Obama as a White man, I wouldn’t bother watching.”
“Ah yes, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the famous Salzburgian-German-Austrian-Asian,” wrote another.
Ah yes, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the famous Salzburgian-German-Austrian-Asian. https://t.co/r2yj5wGLzt
— FilmLadd (@FilmLadd) October 14, 2025
“Is this the one where we find out that the true genius behind Amadeus is a paraplegic non-binary Black woman that taught him everything, and wrote his music?” another person sarcastically shared on X.
Many also took issue with Sky declaring that they “believe in original stories” while simultaneously promoting a remake. One X user sounded off on Tuesday, “Can we do something new that hasn’t been done before? Maybe? Please?”
Another slammed the “original stories” tagline as false advertising, considering this 2025 “Amadeus” is “a remake of a 1984 film which was an adaptation of a 1979 play which was inspired by a 1830 play.”
It says "Believe in original stories" at the end of the trailer for the new 2025 AMADEUS, which is a remake of a 1984 film which was an adaptation of a 1979 play which was inspired by a 1830 play. pic.twitter.com/b0VmrRTBD1
— Steven Greenstreet 🐷 (@MiddleOfMayhem) October 15, 2025
“Why on Earth would we need a retelling of a familiar story, when this banger of the movie already exists?” another weighed in. “Just remaster in 4K and make an annual run in movie theaters. I’ve watched it so many times and will watch again gladly.”
And another noted: “lol they really ended that trailer with ‘believe, in original stories??’ Really?? After remaking perhaps the one movie that never, ever, needs to [be] remade??”
“Amadeus,” written by “Black Doves” creator Joe Barton, sees Sharpe stepping into the shoes once filled by Tom Hulce as the famed classical composer.
Barton has since hit back at the criticism, writing on X humorously: “I wrote this. As part of our promotion we are going to destroy every single copy of the 1984 original movie in existence and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it.”
He later added: “I don’t think Amadeus is a sacred text that cannot be touched, rather a story that has been told in various guises for hundreds of years now, including, yes, a popular Hollywood movie. This version that we’ve done is just another restaging and a continuation of that tradition.”
I don't think Amadeus is a sacred text that cannot be touched, rather a story that has been told in various guises for hundreds of years now, including, yes, a popular Hollywood movie. This version that we've done is just another restaging and a continuation of that tradition
— Joe Barton (@JoeBarton_) October 15, 2025
Not everyone was upset with the project’s color-blind casting, though. One X user wrote while the remake “seemed pointless” at first, the outcry over Sharpe’s casting actually proves why it should be made: “I saw all the weakest, most whiney little losers online throwing a fit of massive butthurt over him being played by an Asian actor which utterly justifies the remake’s existence.”
Another just had fun with the dust-up:
"stop fuckin wit korean amadeus. he ain't got time for yo raycism. he busy wit composing shit" https://t.co/Ic3RRyGUAf pic.twitter.com/3uZ2PyM7L0
— ㄣ⃒ (@drainfella) October 15, 2025
Paul Bettany, Gabrielle Creevy, Rory Kinnear, Lucy Cohu, Jonathan Aris and more round out the cast.
The series is produced by Two Cities Television, a part of STV Studios, in association with Sky Studios. Megan Spanjian, Michael Jackson, Stephen Wright, Julian Farino and Paul Gilbert serve as executive producers alongside Sharpe.
Watch the new teaser below:
