Tag Archives: Spartacus: Blood and Sand

Starz picks Aussie Liam McIntyre to be the next Spartacus

News, Television, , , , , ,

Tough break for the boys of Prison Break.  Starz overlooked Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell, among others, and selected Australian actor Liam McIntyre (The Pacific) to be the next Thracian warrior.  After star Andy Whitfield dropped out of the Spartacus star role due to health issues, the producers came up with an ultimatum: close up shop or recast.  Whitfield gave his blessing to the recast the role, and so the network began its search.

“Since no one can really replace Andy, we realized that we should instead find an actor who can truly lead Spartacus forward,” said Starz’s CEO Chris Albrecht. “It was important to us to have Andy endorse the idea of recasting this part, which he did in the same heroic manner that he’s dealt with his whole ordeal. And that, coupled with our fortune in finding a young actor with the gladiator credentials and the acting ability of Liam, makes it easier for us to keep this hit franchise going.”

And so Spartacus: Blood and Sand will carry on.  Production on season 2 is expected to resume this spring.  The six-part prequel series Spartacus: Gods of the Arena premieres Friday, January 21 on Starz.

[Via Deadline]

Dominic Purcell the next ‘Spartacus’?

News, Television, , , , , ,

Season 2 of Spartacus: Blood and Sand is nearly ready to begin production.  But there is one gaping hole left to fill: finding a strong replacement for cancer-striken Andy Whitfield.  After being diagnosed with early stage Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Whitfield was forced to dropped out of the show shortly after the first season concluded.  Last week Starz president Chris Albrecht said that the network is “confident that we will find an actor who can ably step into Spartacus’ sandals.”  Though Australian actor Liam McIntyre is rumored to be the selection, the casting call is apparently still open.  Prison Break star Dominic Purcell put together a screen test tape and sent it to the show’s producers.  Want to know the spark of irony here?  It was fellow Prison Break actor Wentworth Miller who initially expressed interest in taking over the role.  If you take a look at appearances alone, Purcell fits the bill over Miller due to his more Gladiator-like physique.  Anyhow, I’ll keep my ear to the ground and follow up on this story once the producers make their final decision.  Blood and Sand is tentatively scheduled for September 2011.  And don’t forget about the prequel series Spartacus: Gods of the Arena which premieres Friday, January 21 on Starz.

[Via Deadline]

Wentworth Miller the next ‘Spartacus’?

News, Television, , , , ,

According to EW’s Michael Ausiello, Wentworth Miller–better known as Michael Scofield, star of FOX’s breakout hit Prison Break–has expressed interest in taking over the lead role in Starz’s Spartacus: Blood and Sand.  The original Spartacus Andy Whitfield dropped out of the show shortly after its first season to undergo treatment for early stage Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.  This forced the production team to come with an ultimatum–“close up shop or recast.”  Since this news broke back in late September, the team went ahead with the latter option.  There hasn’t been any official word (or even rumors) about who would take over the demanding role, and apparently Miller has stepped forward offering a bid.  The ex-con (in Break, of course) definitely has the acting chops to pull it off.  The question is whether or not he has the physical appearence to play the part.  A smearing of body tattoos of Jolie Prison isn’t going to hide that face that Miller is not nearly as buff as the intimidating Whitfield; but as Ausiello points out a healthy regimen at the gym could make up for that.

There’s much time left for decisions to be made.  Blood and Sand is tentatively scheduled for a September 2011 air date.  But until then, you can look forward to Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, a six episode prequel series, airing in January 2011.  And for those concerned, Whitfield is reported to have “a very positive outlook.”

[Via EW-AusielloFiles, here & here]