After more than a decade, “Spartacus” is back.
Fans of the original Starz historical epic can rejoice in a new look at “Spartacus: House of Ashur,” dropped Thursday. Original series creator Steven DeKnight returns as showrunner for this sequel series, which will have a two-episode Starz premiere on Dec. 5.
Leading this revival series is Nick E. Tarabay, who reprises his role of Ashur from the first three season of “Spartacus,” which took place in the early 2010s.
Though Tarabay’s character notably died by beheading in Season 3 of the original series (titled “Spartacus: Vengeance”), this follow-up series imagines an alternate set of events.
Namely, the new iteration has Ashur alive and embarking on a bloody new chapter at his former gladiator school.
“Welcome to the House of Ashur,” a plot synopsis reads. “No longer a slave, Ashur has clawed his way to power, owning the same ludus that once owned him. But ruling a band of merciless gladiators is child’s play compared to surviving the savage world of Roman politics — a cutthroat game in which betrayal isn’t a sin, it’s currency.”
The synopsis continues, “He flips tradition on its head by unleashing Achillia, a fierce and powerful gladiatrix eager to prove herself worthy in a man’s world. Together, they ignite a new kind of spectacle that shocks, disrupts and offends the elite with every drop of blood.”
Joining Tarabay in the new series are Graham McTavish, Tenika Davis, Jordi Webber, Jamaica Vaughan, Ivana Baquero, Claudia Black, India Shaw-Smith, Jackson Gallagher, Jaime Slater and Leigh Gill.
A new image from the spinoff sees Webber, McTavish and Davis alongside Tarabay as their characters, Tarchon, Korris and Achillia, respectively.
A trailer for “House of Ashur” released in July teased an explicit, bloody return to the brutal world of “Spartacus” for the Starz series. The trailer revealed a clear look at a number of new characters — including Davis as Achillia, who begins to draw attention as the first gladiatrix (or, female gladiator) entering the arena.
“Spartacus: House of Ashur” follows the four-season Starz series “Spartacus,” which aired from 2010 to 2013. The first season, “Blood and Sand,” was followed by a prequel miniseries, titled “Gods of the Arena.” This was then followed by seasons two and three, called “Vengeance” and “War of the Damned,” respectively.
Rick Jacobson and Aaron Helbing will serve as executive producers alongside showrunner DeKnight. Lionsgate Television produced the 10-episode miniseries for Starz.
“Spartacus: House of Ashur” will have a two-episode premiere on Starz on Dec. 5.
