Spartacus Spin-Off Series Coming To Starz - And The First Plot Details Are Wild
The series "Spartacus" consisted of three seasons and a prequel miniseries before the sword-and-sandal historical drama was canceled in 2013. A decade later, Starz is reigniting the franchise with a brand-new series, "Spartacus: House of Ashur," set within the same universe as its predecessors but with a fascinating twist.
Instead of giving viewers a continuation of the events that took place at the end of Season 3, "Spartacus: War of the Damned," according to TVLine, the new program will follow a "what if?" scenario, asking, what would happen if the conniving and manipulative Ashur (Nick E. Tarabay) didn't lose his head in the finale of Season 2, "Spartacus: Vengeance," and was instead offered the gladiator school once owned by House Batiatus, the place where Spartacus began his rebellion against Rome?
Fans recall that Ashur was once a gladiator before an injury ended his days in the arena. He then became a bookkeeper and errand boy for Quintus Lentulus Batiatus (John Hannah) before assisting Praetor Gaius Claudius Glaber (Craig Parker) in hunting down Spartacus after the massacre at the Ludus. He eventually was killed by Naevia (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) on Mount Vesuvius, but it appears the new Starz series will retcon that ordeal and set it up so he can craft the next class of champions.
Tarabay will return to reprise the role after appearing in 21 episodes of the "Spartacus" series and all six entries of the prequel, "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena." Since his departure, the actor has been in movies like "Pacific Rim: Uprising" and has worked on "The Expanse" and "Stargirl." Now, Tarabay is set to return to the world of "Spartacus," and he isn't the only individual being brought back for the new project.
Starz is excited for Steven S. DeKnight's return to the Spartacus franchise
To ensure "Spartacus: House of Ashur" has a glorious victory, Starz has brought back creator Steven S. DeKnight to take on doctore duties for the latest addition to the "Spartacus" legacy. It was revealed in February that the streamer would once again be utilizing DeKnight's services for a new "Spartacus"-based project. He seems very excited to take on the challenge of bringing audiences the "House of Ashur" series. "To be afforded the opportunity to return a decade later to a series you loved is such a rare, wonderful opportunity, " the Spartacus creator said (via Variety). "I could not be more excited to craft this next chapter in the Spartacus saga with Starz, Lionsgate, and the incomparable Nick Tarabay."
Since the show ended, the renowned writer, director, and producer known for his work on "Smallville," "Dollhouse," and "Angel" has added several credits to his resume, such as "Pacific Rim: Uprising," "Daredevil," and "Jupiter's Legacy." Given his proven track record, it's no wonder Starz is thrilled to have him on board for "Spartacus: House of Ashur."
Starz president of original programming Kathryn Busby said in a statement, "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. It is an honor to team up with Steven again as he expands upon the storytelling within this thrilling, action-packed universe."
While the streamer may be excited about "Spartacus: House of Ashur," certain fans aren't showing the same level of enthusiasm about the bold direction the action-packed franchise is taking for its return.
Fans aren't sure an Ashur series will work
While some may be expressing their sincerest gratitude for more "Spartacus," not everyone thinks "House of Ashur" is guaranteed victory. The ambitious idea of bringing back a dead character is one aspect that isn't sitting right with certain followers of the Starz series, like Redditor u/Varekai79, who posted their frustration, saying, "What a bizarre premise for a spinoff. We're just retconning and resurrecting characters for fun now?"
Even Ashur and Nick E. Tarabay fans aren't 100% on board with the concept. Another user, u/BusinessPurge, wrote in a post, "As a Tarabay fan I'm excited, although it is somewhat ludicrous to have it return to the Ludus in a What If scenario," and u/julianwelton posted, "Great character. Great actor. This will never work."
Some don't think the ex-gladiator is worthy of his own series. Redditor u/spt48 didn't feel the need to sugarcoat things, writing, "Cool, a show about the least likable character."
And u/Tha_Watcher prophesied a negative outcome for the devious persona's return, saying, "The Ashur character can't carry this series as he was simply a tertiary forgettable part of the original show. I love the original Spartacus series but I predict this will get canceled after the first season."
There is no denying that not all fans are cheering for "House of Ashur," and many believe the next "Spartacus" chapter is missing out on storylines potentially destined for glory.
Some believe there are better Spartacus stories to tackle
Many believe there are better options the series left open for exploration when it ended. While many characters, including Spartacus (Liam McIntyre), did not survive, those who were left standing, like members of the infamous First Triumvirate — Marcus Licinius Crassus (Simon Merrells), Julius Caesar (Todd Lasance), and Gnaeus Pompeious Magnus (Joel Tobeck) — seemed to be the focus of the franchise moving forward. Instead, creators are opting for an alternate timeline with Ashur running the Ludus, which several believe is the wrong move, like u/knightsunbro, who posted their enthusiasm for a spinoff with "NCIS: Sydney" star Lasance reprising his role, saying, "I would rather they did the Caesar spinoff, or just leave the series dead."
Redditor u/CaptainFoxJack preferred seeing more from Merrells' Crassus, saying, "I wanted to see the continuation aftermath of the end of season 4 and see Crassus end at the Battle of Carrhae."
But some weren't opposed to returning to House Batiatus, except they would rather a different "Spartacus" cast member return, such as John Hannah's Quintus. The appropriately named Redditor u/_Batiatus posted, "I just wish they did a 'what if' of Batiatus coming back, or even a spinoff of the Ludus in titus' times, just so he could appear all again."
While it's obvious people are disappointed in the premise, if "Spartacus: House of Ashur" does well, it could open the door for more spinoffs, and some of these ideas could eventually be explored.