‘Turkish James Bond’ to take on coup plotters in new film

ISTANBUL: A wildly popular Turkish television and film thriller franchise staring an action hero dubbed the “Turkish James Bond” will make a movie about the failed July 15 coup, its producer announced.

The “Valley of the Wolves” franchise, has resulted in dozens of television episodes and several spin-off films since it was first created in 2003, enthralling many Turks.

But it has long been accused by critics of having a strong ideological bent alongside a potent streak of Turkish nationalism and anti- American and Israeli sentiment.

“In response to intense public demand to make a film or television series about the coup bid, our firm has taken the decision to make the film ‘Valley of the Wolves — Coup’,” the production company Pana Film said in a statement on its official Twitter account late Monday.

It did not give further details but the film will most likely see the return of Turkish secret service action hero Polat Alemdar — played by Necati Sasmaz — to do battle with the coup plotters who aimed to unseat President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Stormier waters

Always ending up on top against the odds — like British spy hero James Bond — Polat Alemdar takes on a panoply of Turkey’s enemies, be it the mafia, militants or even the West.

The franchise did not shy away from controversy with its first film “Valley of the Wolves — Iraq” which centred on the US-invasion of Iraq and the story of the capture of 11 Turkish soldiers by a US military unit.

It then ventured into even stormier waters with a film on the deadly raid by Israeli commandos on the Mavi Marmara Turkish aid ship bound for Gaza in 2010.

The movie further ratcheted up diplomatic tensions between Turkey and the Jewish State, prompting accusations of anti-Semitism that were vehemently denied by the producers.

“Valley of the Wolves” has always been seen as in tune with the ambitious foreign policy and projection of a powerful Turkey espoused by Erdogan, who became prime minister in the year the series first came out.

However it has not been spared from controversy within the country, with the producers pulling the plug on a 2007 series “Valley of the Wolves — Terror” which dealt with the fight against Kurdish militants after just one episode.

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