Spartacus: House of Ashur Sets Release Date — See the Jaw-Dropping First Photos of the Gladiator Epic
Starz has set the premiere for Spartacus: House of Ashur and unveiled first-look photos, signaling the gladiator saga’s bloody return. Nick E. Tarabay reprises Ashur at the head of a new ensemble in the next chapter of the franchise.
Starz finally put a date on its Spartacus sequel and dropped first-look photos to prove it exists. Yes, that Ashur. Yes, he is somehow front and center. Here is what they are doing, when it arrives, and who is in the arena this time.
When and where to watch
Spartacus: House of Ashur premieres with back-to-back episodes on Friday, December 5, exclusively on the STARZ app and across all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms. Starting with two episodes out of the gate is a pretty clear signal they want you hooked fast.
The angle: Ashur lives, and Rome rewards him
The show leans into an alternate-history swing: Ashur did not die, and Rome actually thanks him for being a snake by handing him the gladiator school that once owned him. He is no longer a slave; he is the boss of the same ludus where he used to bleed. Of course, running gladiators is the easy part. Navigating Roman politics? That is the blood sport.
'What if Ashur had lived, and the Romans rewarded his treachery with the gladiator school where he once bled? Welcome to the House of Ashur... betrayal is not a sin, it is currency.'
Also worth flagging: the series brings a gladiatrix into the mix. Achillia steps into the sands to blow up tradition and offend a lot of delicate Roman sensibilities. The official line calls the show 'thrilling, erotic, history-bending' — and honestly, that tracks for Spartacus.
Who is back, who is new
Nick E. Tarabay returns as Ashur, the role he played in the original series across 2010's Blood and Sand, the 2011 prequel Gods of the Arena, and 2012's Vengeance. Starz also released first-look photos featuring Tarabay and the new ensemble.
- Nick E. Tarabay as Ashur
- Graham McTavish as Korris
- Tenika Davis as Achillia
- Jordi Webber as Tarchon
- Jamaica Vaughan as Hilara
- Ivana Baquero as Messia
- Claudia Black as Cossutia
- India Shaw-Smith as Viridia
- Jackson Gallagher as Caesar
- Jaime Slater as Cornelia
- Leigh Gill as Satyrus
Behind the scenes
Steven S. DeKnight (Daredevil) is back as executive producer, the same guy who created and wrote the original Spartacus. He is joined by executive producers Rick Jacobson and Aaron Helbing. The series comes from Lionsgate Television.
Bottom line: Starz is taking a bold what-if and turning Ashur into the head of a very sharp snake. If you are into the show's signature mix of politics, blood, and gleeful provocation, December 5 is circled.