Comic Con 2015: 5 things we learned about The Man in the High Castle

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Published on July 10, 2015 12:00PM EDT

Imagine a world in which the Axis forces won World War II. That’s the concept behind Amazon’s new series The Man in the High Castle, based on the novel by Philip K. Dick. The show, created by Frank Spotnitz (The X-Files) and starring Alexa Davalos and Luke Kleintank, is set in 1962 and finds the U.S. split in half, with Nazi Germany occupying the east coast and Japan taking the west coast.

EW’s Jeff Jensen moderated the panel for the series, which debuts on Amazon in November. But you can stream the first two episodes on EW.com for a limited time. Here’s what you missed:·

Ridley Scott’s production company, Scott Free, had been developing Castle as a four hour mini-series for SyFy but when that network passed, they opted for Amazon. Scott’s involvement is “invaluable,” said Spotnitz, saying Scott visual references included The Conformist and Edward Hopper’s art.
One of the most striking images in the trailer, which they debuted at the panel, was of Times Square with a giant Nazi flag displayed. Spotnitz said that shot, actually filmed in a parking lot in Seattle, will have its effects refined once the series premieres.
Spotnitz says the first season will focus on the U.S. and not as much the broader world. Said the producer, “You will find out very slowly what’s happened to the rest of the map.”
The Man in the High Castle, who produces newsreels of the Allies winning WWII, still is a mystery to the cast. “It changes on a weekly basis,” says actor Rupert Evans on the cast’s theories as to The Man’s identity.
Dick’s daughter, Isa Dick Hackett, thinks her father would enjoy this adaptation of his book. “I would hope he loves it as much as I do,” she said. “He’d be astonished that it still resonates.”

•Everything to know about EW’s Comic-Con 2015 coverage

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•See the schedule for Comic-Con’s TV panels

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