STARZ is officially returning to the arena this winter. The network announced that Spartacus: House of Ashur will premiere on Friday, December 5, with a two-episode debut before rolling out in weekly installments. The series marks the long-awaited continuation of the Spartacus universe and sees Nick E. Tarabay back in his role as Ashur. The new series is billed as a “thrilling, erotic, history-bending roller-coaster,” one that asks the provocative question: what if Ashur had lived and been rewarded by the Romans with his own ludus? No longer a slave, he must wield power in a world where betrayal isn’t a sin, it’s currency.

Alongside Tarabay, the cast includes Outlander veteran Graham McTavish as Korris, Tenika Davis (Jupiter’s Legacy) as the franchise’s first female gladiatrix Achillia, and Jordi Webber (Prosper) as Tarchon. Newly released images, which can be seen below, tease the brutal rivalries and spectacle at the center of the story.

A New Arena for ‘Spartacus’

The new series comes from the mind of the original series’ creator Steven S. DeKnight, who returns as showrunner and executive producer. DeKnight is joined by Rick Jacobson (Ash vs Evil Dead) and Aaron Helbing (The Flash) on the producing team, ensuring the continuation carries the same spirit that made Spartacus a phenomenon.

At San Diego Comic-Con, Tarabay emphasized how meaningful it was to reunite with DeKnight while speaking with Collider:

“Steven has a way of capturing my imagination. … To have the privilege to work with Steven again, I say this so many times, I’m a big fan of Steven’s writing. This show would never be the same without him. What Steven did this season is, dare I say this to the fans, it’s better than the original one. I know the fans are going to fight back with me on this, but wait until you see this show.”

In addition to Tarabay, McTavish, Davis, and Webber, the new cast lineup features Jamaica Vaughan (Home and Away) as Hilara, Ivana Baquero (Pan’s Labyrinth) as Messia, Claudia Black (Ahsoka) as Cossutia, India Shaw-Smith (Supernatural) as Viridia, Jackson Gallagher as Caesar, Jaime Slater as Cornelia, and Leigh Gill (Joker) as Satyrus.

Spartacus: House of Ashur premieres December 5 on STARZ, with the first two episodes dropping at the same time. All previous Spartacus series are currently streaming on STARZ for fans to catch up before the fighting begins again.

via Collider