Spartacus Spinoff Is About to Test How Far TV Can Go on Sex and Violence

If you thought Spartacus had already maxed out on blood and bare skin, the new spin-off is apparently not interested in moderation. At The Hollywood Reporter's first-ever Heat Vision Live event, showrunner Steven S. DeKnight and actor Nick E. Tarabay laid out how Spartacus: House of Ashur is aiming to go even harder — with the network cheering them on.

What they said (and how far they are taking it)

• DeKnight says he has not found a line on sex or violence he is unwilling to test, and credits Starz and Lionsgate Television for backing the most extreme material.
• There is a particularly gnarly sequence in episode 2 that he was sure would trigger network pushback — it didn’t. He expected notes. He got nothing.
• He argues the harshness and hypersexuality reflect the setting: ancient Rome was brutal and unapologetically carnal. He is especially proud that the show introduces a female gladiator.
• When the topic of parental advocacy groups came up, DeKnight basically invited the outrage.
• Tarabay, looking back 15 years after the original series launched, says the production now uses intimacy coordinators whenever a performer wants one, calling it a great update for how sets run today. As for nudity, he says it becomes just another part of the job after a while.

The network notes that never came

This is the behind-the-scenes detail that caught my ear: DeKnight built a shocker into the second episode and braced for the inevitable email asking him to pull it back. Instead, silence — in a good way. He even thanked Lionsgate and Starz for never dropping the classic can-you-pull-it-back note.

Why push it this far?

DeKnight’s argument is straightforward: if you are telling a story in this era, the cruelty and the libido come with the territory. The new female gladiator is one of the points he is proudest of — which also signals they are not just repeating old tricks, they are expanding where the franchise can go.

"I welcome a parents advisory out for blood."

How the set has changed since the original

Tarabay says the culture around shooting intimate scenes has evolved a lot since the first Spartacus premiered 15 years ago. On House of Ashur, intimacy coordinators are on deck for anyone who wants one, full stop. And once you are doing this kind of material regularly, the nudity stops feeling like a big deal and becomes another scene to play.

Bottom line: House of Ashur is not dialing down the franchise’s signature extremes — it is doubling down, with studio support, a few new twists (hello, female gladiator), and up-to-date safety practices behind the camera. Buckle up.