Gratitude! Starz has ordered ten episodes of Spartacus: House of Ashur, a new sequel series from creator Steven S. DeKnight.
As you might tell by the title, Spartacus: House of Ashur will feature the return of Nick Tarabay as Ashur, the cunning and manipulative ex-gladiator who proved to be a thorn in the side of Spartacus. Per the official description, “[Spartacus: House of Ashur] poses the question: what if Ashur hadn’t died on Mount Vesuvius at the end of ‘Spartacus: Vengeance?’ And what if he had been gifted the gladiator school once owned by Batiatus in return for aiding the Romans in killing Spartacus and putting an end to the slave rebellion?“
“To be afforded the opportunity to return a decade later to a series you loved is such a rare, wonderful opportunity,” Steven S. DeKnight said in a statement. “I could not be more excited to craft this next chapter in the Spartacus saga with STARZ, Lionsgate, and the incomparable Nick Tarabay.” DeKnight will serve as executive producer and showrunner of the new series.
“A decade ago the groundbreaking original ‘Spartacus’ captivated viewers worldwide and we’re excited to deliver more enthralling, high-octane drama that our fervent fans have been anticipating,” said Kathryn Busby, president of original programming at Starz. “It is an honor to team up with Steven again as he expands upon the storytelling within this thrilling, action-packed universe.“
The first season of Spartacus, subtitled Blood and Sand, tells the story of the man who would become Spartacus as he’s sold into slavery and trained to become a gladiator. Filled to the brim with gruesome blood and sexual content, Spartacus was something to behold, particularly with its unique visual style and scripting. Tragically, Andy Whitfield, who played the title character, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and later died, but not before giving his blessing that the series should continue. Following a prequel series, Liam McIntyre took over the role for Spartacus: Vengeance and Spartacus: War of the Damned.
Spartacus definitely wasn’t for everyone, but I couldn’t get enough of it. I was naturally curious to see what direction DeKnight would go with the sequel series, but I can admit that I wasn’t expecting him to resurrect a dead character.
What do you hope to see from Spartacus: House of Ashur?