The series was originally developed at Starz in January 2012, but after attempts to film in China failed, the project was released back to The Weinstein Company before Netflix picked it up.

Netflix picked up Marco Polo for a 10-episode season for approximately $90 million, making it one of the most expensive TV shows in the world at the time, second only to Game of Thrones.

The two seasons reportedly resulted in a $200 million loss for Netflix, and the decision to cancel the show after season two was jointly made by Netflix and The Weinstein Company.

The series was filmed across multiple countries: Kazakhstan doubled as the Mongolian steppes, Malaysia (including Pinewood Studios) served as the main production base, Hungary stood in for Renaissance Rome, and Slovakia provided mountain settings for season 2.

Stuntman Ju Kun, who worked on the show alongside fight choreographer Brett Chan, went missing during pre-production when Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared.

To prepare for her role as Empress Chabi, actress Joan Chen read the book The Secret History of the Mongol Queens by Jack Weatherford to better reflect the culture of the era.

Show creator John Fusco traveled the Silk Road by horseback and crossed the Ming Sha Dunes of Western China by camel during his research, and in Venice he studied Marco Polo's last will and testament.

The score featured music by Mongolian bands Altan Urag and Batzorig Vaanchig, a famous throat singer who made a cameo appearance as a singer; Daniele Luppi composed the main theme while Peter Nashel and Eric V. Hachikian composed the original score.

In 2015, the President of Mongolia, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, presented John Fusco and the creative team with an award honoring their positive portrayal of Mongolian subject matter, and Genghis Khan actor Orgil Makhaan praised the show's accuracy compared to previous foreign portrayals of Mongolian culture.