Starz will look to resurrect its Spartacus franchise with a new series produced by franchise creator Steven S. DeKnight.
The yet-to-be-named series will go beyond the original series Spartacus: Blood and Sand, which aired in 2010 and starred the late Andy Whitfield, according to Starz. The series will depict a “new tale of treachery, deceit and blood unfolding beneath the shadow of Rome,” said the network.
The series would be the fifth show in the Spartacus universe, following Blood and Sand, Spartacus: God of the Arena (2011), Spartacus: Vengeance (2012) and Spartacus: War of the Damned (2013).
“It has been over a decade since Spartacus delighted international audiences and we are thrilled to reimagine and expand this gripping, action-packed drama for our viewers today,” Starz president of original programming Kathryn Busby said in a statement. “Spartacus has deeply invested fans who are eager for its return, and we look forward to working with Steven on this exciting new chapter.”
The Spartacus franchise expansion comes on the heels of other similar efforts to build upon well-known Intellectual Property to attract audiences. Showtime recently announced new iterations of its Dexter and Billions franchises, and Starz itself recently announced plans to expand Outlander with a prequel series. ■
