UPDATED: Those wondering about the future of Starz’ Spartacus can breathe a big sigh of relief: The network is set to confirm at TCA press tour that it will continue the breakout hit despite the loss of star Andy Whitfield.
Sources close to the production say season two will start shooting this spring, with an eye toward a 2012 premiere.
Which, of course, raises a big question: Who’s Spartacus?
Though Starz has not yet crowned a new rebellious slave-warrior to lead the series, producers are confident that the rapidly narrowing field of candidates will yield a new star.
Though there’s been plenty of suspense over the fate of the series since Whitfield left the show to resume treatment for cancer, moving forward makes plenty of sense. The first season of Spartacus gained viewers nearly every week last year to become Starz’ first hit title. Though Whitfield was terrific in the lead, he was backed by a strong supporting cast. Plus the show grabbed plenty of viewers by virtue of its unique visual style and aggressive R-rated content.
In other words: There was a lot going for Spartacus aside from just Spartacus.
Starz will get an idea of how the show fares without Whitfield when its prequel, Gods of the Arena, debuts Friday, Jan. 21.
UPDATE: Producer Rob Tapert on the decision to continue the series without Whitfield: “Nothing good came from losing Andy. We’ve had the luxury of building an infrastructure and having the prequel and sharpening the skills of the actors. If there’s any upside, we’re better prepared to support the new Spartacus when he comes into the role. The season two story no longer takes place in the ludus. It’s a different world and different set of shoes to fill. We feel confident, as does Starz, we will find the right person.”
UPDATE II: New trailer for Spartacus: Gods of the Arena.
UPDATE III: Starz CEO Chris Albrecht adds, “We really struggled with this. From a business point of view, the show is so successful. And the prequel, when we saw it, we saw that the show was continuing to be a creative success. Now we’re at a place where the show is more than the character. We know we can find someone who can step into Spartacus’ sandals.
As for whether the new Sparty will be a star or another relative unknown like Whitfield, Albrecht says, “It will be fair to say the person will not be a household name, but he will potentially have a pre-existing fanbase.”
Anybody else excited about Spartacus continuing?
Keep up with me on Twitter: @james_hibberd
Such bittersweet news. Loved Andy Whitfield as Spartacus, but I also loved everyone else. I look forward to seeing them again!
ITA; Andy was/is one of a kind
I agree, Ana.
I also hope Andy has had a Christmas miracle of his very own, so we can enjoy him in other projects!
As long as its look remains “soft p*rn”, I’ll watch!
If you thought it was soft p*rn, then you weren’t watching in the first place.
A relative bought the DVD’s for me as a Christmas present. I had watched and liked the HBO series ROME and they thought this was similiar.
They were wrong. SPARTACUS is crap, total un-adultered crap.
Don’t be shy Clete. Tell everyone how you REALLY feel.
Long Live Spartacus!
Hey Clete, if your name had a “U” and an “S” like the hick from The Simpsons, you’d be less sophisticated and this would appeal to you more. Just kiddin bud I just love the name and Sparticus is a fun show. Not the greatest but fun.
Spartacus is GOLD! The best thing about the name Clete is it’s 5 letters long, just like the word Troll. Stop trolling
ROME was awesome, I agree, my favorite all-time HBO series. Though I also love Sparty, it’s its own animal.
James Hibberd, thank you! Not only is it nice to see that there’s someone else who knows the difference between “it’s” and “its,” you’ve actually used the words consecutively. As you can tell, the slightest things can make me happy.
Comparing ROME to SPARTACUS is like comparing SEVEN to LETHAL WEAPON. Both of those movies are about an older, near retirement black cop that is forced to team up with a younger, more reckless white cop in order to solve a group of murders around LA. Both movies are great in their own way but are completely different in style and tone. Rome and Spartacus are the same, both great fun but two completely different experiences.
quirky you must be a freaking idiot to not have the intellectual capacity to like a wonderful show….you are truly a moron…
Nah, you’re the “freaking idiot” for not having the intellectual capacity to understand what Quirky actually said. Too many big words for you? He said the two shows were different but “both great fun”. Interpreting that as dislike makes you dumb.
Can’t wait !! excellent show !!
Hope they hire someone big enough to fill Andy’s shoes – a tough sell. My vote goes to Michael Fassbender – he’s been the lead in Centurion, had the best physique in 300 (Stylios), and was charismatic both in the miniseries HEX as the demon (sexy demon, trust) Azazeal, and as the lead male in last years FISH TANK.
While the show was a TV version of 300 with boobs, it took the best elements of 300 and made it one of the best shows of the decade. I wish Andy a speedy recovery and hope to seem again on TV or in the movies sometime soon.
Best show of the decade? What?
There’s money to be made. Was there any doubt it would continue?
Not just money- think of it as jobs for hundreds of people. Andy said he would be devastated if it was cancelled because of him. These were people he cared about and a show he thought was top class. I think they did give alot of thought to not carrying on and waited for his go-ahead before moving forward. Sounds like a show that alot of actors would like to work on.
I really hope they get Wentworth Miller. I’ve liked that idea since it was floated in October.
That would be a great choice, if you wanted to kill the show or turn it into the same guys breaking out of one lunista after another
Yes, because he’s only allowed to play one kind of script…
Wentworth Miller…after he loses some weight and tones up.
Not happy. They should just take the Spartacus name off the show and call it “Blood and Sand”. Replacing Andy is a mistake, this isn’t Bewitched, Spartacus isn’t Darren.
So you’d rather end the show and fire all of the cast and crew since Andy can’t come back becuase of his cancer treatment?
I think what Angel might be saying is keep everyone involved, change the title – eliminating the name Spartacus, and follow a new lead character.
That’s fine for you, Angel, but some of us want to see the rest of Spartacus’s story play out until its end. There is nobody out there who enjoyed Andy Whitfield’s performance more than I did, but I’m glad the rest of the story can be told.
I guess kirk douglas should has freed him self, headed to rome and the the rest of the movie followed somebody else. andy wasn’t the first spartacus, it will survive i’m sure.
2012!!!!!!!!!!!!!too long
Andy is all better and will be in the second season . i watched an interview with him about it. he is 100 percent better and at gladiator training as we speak
@ John Saunders..is there a link to that interview? Excellent news if true but would that mean hes back for season 3? Id hope so!!
he WAS all better, and signed up for season 2. Then his cancer came back again and his Dr’s said you need more treatment.
Id think if he was well they would hav made sure to sign him up for the show. Kind of makes me wonder if its going to be terminal for him.
This was reported maybe 6 or 9 months ago – but then there was a second report that his cancer had returned and he couldn’t come back.
That’s an OLD interview. Before he got sick again
john saunders, I can understand how you came to believe that what you’ve said is the truth, but before you go contradicting a news article, or any other piece of information, maybe you should be sure that you have all of the facts first, because some people will read your post, believe it, and get their hopes up. What you’re referring to was OLD news. Andy Whitfield’s illness had gone into remission, he signed on for the second season, then the illness returned.
Actually, that was a few months back–before his cancer re-occurred. He is out of the show, it looks like for good, now. Very unfortunate as anyone who saw the show (even we guys) loved him. But as was said, the supporting cast was terriffic so I have hope that whomever the new actor is, the show will still maintain the quality and integrity of “Blood and Sand.”
I wish Andy the best, i wish it was another reason he wasn’t returning, i hope he recovers soon.
@ shellibelli – Unfortunately I was of the same opinion, I hope not but it just doesnt sound good & even the mighty google doesnt have up to date news
Only took them about 30 seconds before it was all sex for the hungry teens – and I realized this rubbish wasn’t for me. *zap*
Judging something after 30 seconds. How open-minded of you.
I like the show as much as the next person, but I think you could probably make a pretty accurate judgment of the show after about 30 seconds or so. In fact, that’s part of why I like it so much.