STARZ ORDERS SPARTACUS: THE HOUSE OF ASHUR EPIC TV HISTORICAL SERIES WITH NICK TARABAY PLAYING THE VILLAIN FROM THE ORIGINAL SERIES

 STARZ ORDERS SPARTACUS 

THE HOUSE OF ASHUR SPIN OFF

Well, since they haven't had a hit show in a long time, once glorious Starz has decided to return to their old golden goose and hire Steven S. DeKnight

Nick Tarabay will again play Ashur

to return to the arena with SPARTACUS: HOUSE OF ASHUR a ten part historical series which will effectively be the fifth season of Spartacus series which had four seasons before it ended with the death of the hero exactly ten years ago. Nick Tarabay will reprise the role of Ashur, the villain from the original series. Starz describes the series as a history-bending, erotic, thrilling, roller-coaster experience that builds on the original series! 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 (John Hannah) in return for aiding the Romans in killing Spartacus and ending the slave rebellion? And if Ashur survived, does this mean some other characters did as well?

STARZ ORDERS SPARTACUS EPIC TV SERIES SEQUEL! TRAILER AND AIR DATE FOR MEGA EXPENSIVE HIGH END PANEUROPEAN SF SERIES THE SWARM!

  SPARTACUS SEQUEL  

IN WORKS OVER AT STARZ

After two flops last year with Becoming Elizabeth and Dangerous Liaisons, it seems Starz is returning to their old, already proven hits by ordering a sequel series to their legendary SPARTACUS from Steven S. DeKnight! The next chapter will explore uncharted territory and new journeys of the original series’ iconic characters. In the aftermath of the defeat of Spartacus and his rebel army in the series finale, the new drama will depict a new tale of treachery, deceit, and blood unfolding beneath the foreboding shadow of Rome.  

   THE SWARM TRAILER  

FOR NEW GERMAN SERIES

The Swarm arrives this March in Europe

Last summer I showed you the first trailer for German ZDF high end ambitious sf series THE SWARM which our dear Beta Film is distributing around the world, and now we have a new trailer and March 6th air date. Nordic, Italian, Austrian, Swiss and French broadcasters will also take part in this European coproduction which will also stream on Hulu for American audience and will first premiere at Berlinale. The eight part series is an adaption of Frank Schätzing’s novel that has been translated into 25 languages and has Game of Thrones' Frank Doelger as the

It will premiere at Berlinale later this month

executive producer. 

 

  THE GLOBAL 

 environmental thriller is set in the present day, where anomalies and unnatural behavior in marine animals are causing upheaval all over the world. Mysterious events from the depths of the oceans are piling up all over the world: whales are destroying boats, deep-sea crabs are attacking beaches, and mussels are paralyzing container ships.  A previously unknown ice worm is destabilizing continental slopes in the oceans and triggering tsunamis, and a deadly pathogen is spreading in drinking water from the coasts. More and more people in the world are in mortal danger. THE SWARM follows a global group of scientists who come together to tackle one of the biggest challenges mankind has ever faced and go on a life-threatening mission on their own. The traces lead them with their research ship into the eternal ice. They make the chilling discovery that deep at the bottom of the sea resides a collective intelligence which has suffered the ravages of civilization on its habitat - and decided to fight back.

 WHO IS IN THE TEAM?

Leonie Benesch plays the marine biology student Charlie Wagner, who collects ocean current data for her professor Katherina Lehmann (Barbara Sukowa) on the Shetland Islands. Alexander Karim plays Sigur Johanson, who is asked by a Norwegian oil company for a biological report and discovers the dangerous ice worm alongside Tina Lund (Krista Kosonen). While French molecular biologist Cecile Roche (Cecile de France) struggles with a deadly bacterium in drinking water, Canadian whale researcher Leon Anawak (Joshua Odjick) tries to explain the whales' unusually dangerous behavior. The international research team also has data analyst Alicia Delaware (Rosabell Laurenti Sellers), space researcher Samantha Crowe (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) as well as the student Amir (Eidin Jalali) and the Japanese philanthropist Mifune (Takuya Kimura). Alban (Oliver Masucci), captain of the technically sophisticated research ship Thorvaldson, and the diving robotics expert Roscovitz (Klaas Heufer-Umlauf) embark on a daring mission into the eternal ice with the scientists. Our boy Jack Greenlees also stars. In USA the series will air on CW probably in late 2023.

STARZ PREPARING EPIC TV SERIES ON 17TH CENTURY AFRICAN QUEEN NZINGA STARRING YETIDE BADAKI

   YETIDE BADAKI TO LEAD   

EPIC TV SERIES ON WARRIOR QUEEN NZINGA OF AFRICA

It seems that beside series on Elizabeth and Catherine de Medici, Starz is preparing to offer us a series on another historical queen: Yetide Badaki has been cast

Yetide Badaki has been set as the lead

as the lead in their new series on African warrior queen Nzinga from Spartacus creator Steven S. DeKnight. QUEEN NZINGA takes place in 17th century Angola and follows her transformation from an innocent princess into a fearless warrior queen who rages a ferocious 40-year guerrilla war against the kingdom’s formidable enemies, and the cruel subjugation of her people by Portuguese slavers. Nzinga would come to sacrifice everything to defend her people’s dignity, liberty and freedom. Thrust into a kingdom ravaged by slavery, ferocious tribal wars and ruthless power struggles, Nzinga’s journey is thwart with danger at every turn. She faces a

The series will be produced by Steven DeKnight of Spartacus

brutal family blood-bath, ferocious battles intertwined with deceptive truces, hair-raising escapes, and depraved enemies. With every part of her that she sheds or is stolen from her, she moves one step closer to realizing her dream of freedom and peace for her people.

SF WEDNESDAY: 'PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING' POSTERS WITH SCOTT EASTWOOD, JOHN BOYEGA. ANDY WEIR'S 'THE MARTIAN' FOLLOW UP SF BOOK 'ARTEMIS' TO BECOME A MOVIE

  'ARTEMIS' SF NOVEL

 TO BECOME MOON SET MOVIE

Deadline reports that a new book from The Martian author Andy Weir titled ARTEMIS will be turned into a movie directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. To be published November 17th, it centres on

The directing duo was recently kicked out of Star Wars spinoff

Jasmine Bashara, aka Jazz, just another too-smart, directionless twenty something chafing at the constraints of her small town and dreaming of a better life. Except the small town happens to be named Artemis — and it’s the first and only city on the moon. She’s got debts to pay, her job as a porter barely covers the rent, and her budding career as a smuggler isn’t exactly setting her up as a kingpin, much to her disappointment. So when the chance at a life-changing score drops in her lap, Jazz can’t say no, and she finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy for control of Artemis itself.

 

Scott Eastwood leads the cast

PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING 

FIRST MOVIE SEQUEL POSTERS HAVE  ARRIVED

Meanwhile, exciting first character posters have been released today for PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING, a follow up to Guillermo del Toro's science fiction action blockbuster Pacific Rim from 2013! Directed this time by Daredevil's and Spartacus' Steven S. DeKnight, the action packed sequel will now have the cast lead by Scott

This will be DeKnight's first movie

Eastwood, Charlie Day, Burn Gorman, Rinko Kikuchi and John Boyega. It is interesting that half of Spartacus TV series cast will star in this one including Dustin Clare, amazing Daniel Feuerriegel and Nick Tarabay. The sf adventure in which humans use massive robot fighters to defend themselves from alien invasion is scheduled for next March. The sequel will show what happened to the Jaeger technology after the world was freed from Kaiju.You can also check out the first, freshly released trailer for the movie below and tell us what you think.