Watch the teaser for Amazon’s upcoming drama about Russia’s Romanov dynasty

Internet retail giant Amazon has released a teaser for its new television series about self-proclaimed descendants of the Romanov dynasty, which ruled Russia until 1917.

Th clip for The Romanoffs shows a host of different characters claiming they belong to the famous family, or querying the claims of others.

The eight-part drama, which will begin on 12 October, was created, produced and written by Matthew Weiner, best known as the person behind hit television series Mad Men. It follows the stories of eight different people living all over the world who believe they are descendants of Nicholas II, Russia’s last tsar, who was executed with his family in 1918 by the Bolsheviks.

The Romanoffs stars Aaron Eckhart, Diane Lane, Isabelle Huppert, Christina Hendricks, John Slattery, Amanda Peet, Jack Huston, Kathryn Hahn, Noah Wyle, Paul Reiser and Andrew Rannells. Each episode cost about $6 million (£4.7 million) to make.

Weiner has said he was drawn to the Romanovs as a subject because of the family’s history and the nature of their story.

“In an era where we have social media and so much theoretical connection to each other it really seems like we’re further apart than ever. And I love this idea that these characters believe themselves to be, whether they are or not, descendants of this last autocratic family who are part of one of the great true crime stories of all time,” Weiner told The Hollywood Reporter last year.