An Epic 2025 Pirate Series Based On A '70s TV Show Is Streaming On Netflix

Netflix had some of the best TV shows of 2025, and it looks like 2026 will be similarly packed with unmissable series. January has already brought us Jon Bernthal and Tessa Thompson's must-watch mystery miniseries "His & Hers," and now we've got a swashbuckling adventure to add to the queue. "Sandokan," aka "Sandokan: The Pirate Prince," is a hit Italian series in which the titular pirate captain and his crew face off against the British Empire in 19th–century Southeast Asia.

The show comes courtesy of production company Lux Vide, which also produced the hit series "Medici" and "Leonardo." "Sandokan" aired in Italy in December 2025, but went worldwide on Netflix as of January 19, 2026, and has been successful thus far, charting in multiple countries. But "Sandokan" — directed by Jan Maria Michelini and Nicola Abbatangelo — isn't an entirely original show. It's based not only on Emilio Salgari's original Sandokan novels, but on a cult classic 1976 Italian TV adaptation, which had a big impact on Italian audiences at the time.

The 70s "Sandokan" series was an adaptation of Salgari's adventure novels, published in the late 19th and early 20th Century. It comprised six episodes, which were primarily based on the books "The Tigers of Mompracem" and "The Pirates of Malaya." The show was a hit. "Sadokan" became a cultural phenomenon in Italy, thanks in part to its grandiose production values, which were unusual for a show of its kind at the time. 

In 2025, Italian network Rai 1 decided to revisit the material for a modern-day adaptation, which was similarly successful. Now, the show has hit Netflix, finally bringing Sandokan the pirate hero to a global audience.

Luca Bernabei ("Coco Chanel") and Scott Rosenbaum ("The Shield") were in charge of bringing this latest Sandokan adaptation to fruition. The eight-episode first season proved popular in Italy and is now demonstrating its global appeal on Netflix, where it's climbing the charts worldwide.

Set in 1845 Borneo, the show tells the story of the Dayak people who are ruled by brutal British colonialists. Their only hope is a band of rebels led by Sandokan, whose nickname, "Tiger of Malaysia," conveys just how formidable and respected he is. The pirate captain, played by Turkish star Can Yaman, plots to rob the British Consulate in Borneo by adopting a false identity and ingratiating himself with the consul's daughter, Lady Marianna (Bloor), who divulges the location of the consulate's exports. Soon, Sandokan finds himself in too deep, rubbing shoulders with the likes of famed pirate hunter Lord James Brooke (Ed Westwick, of "Gossip Girl" fame), who also happens to be obsessed with winning Lady Marianna's heart. But after Brooke starts to suspect that all isn't what it seems, the race is on for Sandokan to carry out his plan and outdo his rival suitor before he's discovered.

The Netflix debut of "Sandokan" has brought the show worldwide attention. According to streaming viewership tracker FlixPatrol, the first season is climbing the charts in multiple countries. It has even crept onto the United States charts, hitting number 10 as of January 21, 2026, and climbing to number seven in the days since. So, if you're at a loss as to what to stream given the sheer amount on offer, "Sandokan" is a solid choice (though there are plenty of great pirate movies to stream, too).