Starz is set to come out with its first original series, a revival of Spartacus. The network has Steven S.Deknight (Pacific Rim: Uprising, Spartacus) returning as showrunner, via The Hollywood Reporter.
The show which will exclusively stream on Starz , and it will be a sequel as well as a resurgence of the original show. It is said to be set in the aftermath of the final events of the last installment, which featured a slave army’s defeat. Also, it will “depict a new tale of treachery, deceit, and blood unfolding beneath the foreboding shadow of Rome”, according to the show’s official description via Deadline.
Andy Whitfield (Spartacus) was the lead star as well as the title character in the original show for the first season. The series originally premiered over thirteen years ago in January of 2010. It was known for its extreme, brutal, violent action. Whitfield’s character, Spartacus, was the Thracian gladiator who led a slave uprising against the Roman empire. He unfortunately passed away in 2011 after a battle with a stage four variation of lymphoma. For the last two seasons of the original show, subtitled Vengeance and War of the Damned, Liam McIntyre took over the role as Whitfield’s successor. Other notable works of McIntyre include The Clearing and See You Soon.
Steven DeKnight, the show’s showrunner, most recently developed and executive produced the television series Jupiter’s Legacy at Netflix. His credits also famously include Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Marvel’s Daredevil and the feature film Pacific Rim: Uprising. He describes returning to this Spartacus project as “an incredible honor” that he is meeting “with unbridled creative support”, via The Hollywood Reporter. He will be executive producing as well as writing for this new installment alongside Starz parent company, Lionsgate Television.
News of this new project is very exciting for dedicated fans of the original. The new series has yet to be given an estimated release date or cast, but it is said that fans can expect it to feature characters from the original even though no specifics have been given.
The full Spartacus series is available to stream now on Starz.