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Comment by Mr. E on October 4, 2010 at 7:37pm

A little good news. Let's hope they cast this well...

Link: http://tv.ign.com/articles/112/1125262p1.html

Spartacus Recasting Lead Role
Starz decides to continue with series, in the wake of Andy Whitfield's departure.

The hunt for a new Spartacus has begun. In the wake of Spartacus: Blood and Sand star Andy Whitfield sadly having to leave the series after his cancer returned, the question became what the producers of the series would do. Recently, executive producer Steven S. DeKnight said they were wrestling with simply ending Spartacus or recasting the role.

EW.com's Michael Ausiello now reports that Starz has begun searching for a new star for the series, sending out a casting notice looking for "a Caucasian male in his mid to late 30s to play the 'smart, intense, passionate' title role." Ausiello also notes that Starz is looking for an actor who has an authentic British accent and that the role will include a three-year contract.

In the meantime, the prequel series, Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, is still scheduled to air in January.

Read more: http://tv.ign.com/articles/112/1125262p1.html#ixzz11RL24aL3

Comment by Adam Yates on September 20, 2010 at 10:39am

Damn he is the one who has cancer man poor guy hope he gets better even sadder than when he had to kill his friend in that episode.

Comment by Mr. E on September 19, 2010 at 8:58pm

Well Cev, unfortunately it looks like the prequel may be all there is, as Andy Whitfield has now left the show for good. See article from Yahoo's homepage below.... What a bummer for both Whitfield and us fans of the show... :-(

http://omg.yahoo.com/news/spartacus-star-andy-whitfield-leaves-show...

Andy Whitfield has dropped out of Spartacus: Blood and Sand's second season to continue cancer treatment, Starz announced late Friday.

Whitfield, who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in March, had been in remission until doctors recently advised him to resume aggressive treatment. Whitfield said at Comic-Con in July that he felt "better than ever" and was training hard to resume work on Season 2.

"It's with a deep sense of disappointment that I must step aside from such an exceptional project as Spartacus and all the wonderful people involved," Whitfield said in a statement. "It seems that it is time for myself and my family to embark on another extraordinary journey. Thank you sincerely for the support so far."

The epic drama halted production in March after Whitfield was initially diagnosed. The network then produced a six-part prequel to give Whitfield time to recover before starting work on Season 2. No immediate decisions have been made about the future of the series, but the prequel will still air in January 2011.

"Our hearts and prayers are with Andy and his family during this difficult time," Starz President and CEO Chris Albrecht said in a statement. "Andy is not only an incredible actor whose portrayal of Spartacus made an indelible impression on Starz audiences, he is also an amazing human being whose courage, strength, and grace in the face of adversity have inspired all of us."

Comment by Adam Yates on September 16, 2010 at 11:49am

Exactly Cev but who is gonna do all the dick jokes since Hannahs dead?

Comment by Cev on September 16, 2010 at 2:36am

I dunno about you guys, but I am wholeheartedly against the idea of doing a prequel season about Hannah's and Lawless' characters. See, one of the reasons that season 1 was so great was that it didn't act like a television series, it acted like a movie. And in movies, major characters die if their deaths fit into the plot and have dramatic impact. With tv they too often rely on whether audiences like a certain actor and so they pull their punches if it would mean killing off characters. That's why I have less respect for television in general. What made Spartacus special was that it DIDN'T do the usual bullshit; it killed of major characters like crazy, and it was AWESOME for it. Doing a prequel season undoes all of that. I'll await season 3 very, very eagerly.. but this prequel season? Eh, I might sit it out.

Comment by Mr. E on July 19, 2010 at 7:30pm

Here's the latest Spartacus: Blood & Sand news for my fellow Sparty fans.. (Ya, I know you're out there...) (^_^)

'Spartacus' prequel casts key roles

Link: http://www.hitfix.com/articles/2010-7-19-spartacus-prequel-casts-ke...

Australian actor Dustin Clare has landed one of the key roles in "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena," Starz' upcoming gladiatorial prequel.

Starz has announced the Dustin Clare, an Australian actor known for roles on "McLeod's Daughter" and "Underbelly," will play Gannicus, the first gladiator to become Champion of Capua.

Gannicus is the lead role in the prequel, which takes place before Spartacus became a part of Batiatus' (John Hannah) ludus. In addition to Hannah, other stars returning for the prequel include Lucy Lawless, Peter Mensah and Manu Bennett. "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" star Andy Whitfield will appear "briefly" in the prequel and then will be back in full force for the official second season.

Also added to the "Gods of the Arena" cast is Jaime Murray, best known for a villainous turn on "Dexter," as Gaia, social climber friend to Lawless' Lucretia. Marisa Ramirez ("General Hospital") is also new to the cast, playing Melitta, a beautiful slave girl.

"Spartacus: Gods of the Arena," a six-part prequel, will begin production this August and will premiere on Starz early next year.

Comment by Mr. E on May 11, 2010 at 7:09pm

Good news fellow Sparties... Here's the link to the article: Link to full article: http://www.hitfix.com/articles/2010-5-11-starz-sets-a-spartacus-pre...

Fans have wondered how Andy Whitfield's cancer diagnosis would impact the second season of Starz' "Spartacus."

The premium cable network has come up with a solution: Prequel.

Starz' announced on Tuesday (May 11) that production will begin this summer on a six-episode "Spartacus" prequel focusing primarily on John Hannah's Batiatus and Lucy Lawless, telling the story of Batiatus' gladiatorial school before either Spartacus or Crixus were its champion.

The news of the prequel was first broken by the Tribune's Maureen Ryan.

The prequel season will shoot in New Zealand and will premiere on Starz in January 2011. Starz has yet to determine a subtitle for the "Spartacus: Blood & Sand" prequel, but it presumably will not be "Vengeance," the previously announced subtitle for a Whitfield-heavy season.

In the official Starz' release, the network says that Whitfield is currently undergoing treatment for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and that doctors say he's responding well.

As of now, Whitfield is scheduled to appear in two episodes of the "Spartacus" prequel. In addition to Hannah and Lawless, other returning actors will include Peter Mensah, Manu Bennett, Antonio Te Maioha, Nick E. Tarabay and Lesley-Ann Brandt. New characters will also be added including the aforementioned pre-Crixus champion of the House of Batiatus.

"The prequel story maintains the excitement and entertainment value of the first season of 'Spartacus,' giving audiences the engaging experience they’ve come to expect," states Starz President and CEO Chris Albrecht. "We look forward to continuing the Spartacus story."

Led by Rob Tapert, Sam Raimi, Joshua Donen and Steven S. DeKnight, the "Spartacus" production team will remain intact.

Comment by Sabretooth on April 19, 2010 at 1:34pm

I watched it on Starz on Demand. They had it up before it even aired on Starz.

Comment by Mr. E on April 16, 2010 at 6:27pm

Dam Sabes... Where are you seeing it so early at? I'm on the East Cost, and it doesn't start till 9:00 here.... Also, I'm SUPER exited to see, but pissed that this will be all for a while.... :-)

Comment by Sabretooth on April 16, 2010 at 11:02am

OMG!!! THE SEASON FINALE WAS FUCKING AWESOME!!! Now let's start some discussions...

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