or


[07/19/10 - 08:01 AM]
Dustin Clare Cast in Key Role of Gannicus in Starz' Series 'Spartacus: Gods of the Arena'
Jaime Murray and Marisa Ramirez are also joining the prequel, which will air early next year.

[via press release from Starz]

DUSTIN CLARE CAST IN KEY ROLE OF GANNICUS IN STARZ' SERIES 'SPARTACUS: GODS OF THE ARENA'

Australian Actor to Play the Former Champion of Capua in Six-Part Prequel to 'Spartacus: Blood and Sand'; Premiering in January 2011

Jaime Murray, Marisa Ramirez Also Score Key Roles as Production Gets Set to Start

Beverly Hills, CA - July 19, 2010 - Spartacus wasn't the first champion of the arena. Many men lived and died on the sands before him. "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena," the highly anticipated prequel to Starz' hit series "Spartacus: Blood and Sand," brings to life the story of Gannicus, the first gladiator to become Champion of Capua. Australian actor Dustin Clare has been tapped for the role in the series which begins production this August and will air early next year on Starz.

Joining Clare in the series are Jaime Murray and Marisa Ramirez in two central roles. Also returning to reprise their roles in the series, which takes place before Spartacus joins the ludus (gladiator training school): Lucy Lawless (Lucretia), John Hannah (Batiatus), Peter Mensah (Oenomaus) and Manu Bennett (Crixus). Andy Whitfield (Spartacus), will appear briefly in the prequel, and rejoin the show in season two, which is set to begin production later this year.

Clare is best known to Australian audiences, where he had major roles on a number of long-running TV series, including "Satisfaction," "Underbelly" and "McLeod's Daughter." Murray plays Gaia, Lucretia's friend and a Capua social climber. She starred in the CW series "Valentine" and had an extended role on Showtime's "Dexter." Ramirez is best known for her long runs on "General Hospital" and "The Young and the Restless," and was recently seen on "Past Life" and "Miami Medical." Ramirez plays Melitta, a beautiful slave girl with complicated relationships.

"Spartacus: Gods of the Arena" focuses on the House of Batiatus, in the days before Spartacus arrived. Hannah's Batiatus is not yet the head of the family, or the ludus. Gannicus is the undisputed lead gladiator in the Ludus, but in the class-conscious world of ancient Capua, the House of Batiatus still hasn't earned the respect of local society, or the right for its gladiators to fight in the championship bouts. Gannicus must survive the arena to not only keep his place in the ludus but also rise to become the champion in all of Capua.

Produced by Rob Tapert, Sam Raimi, Joshua Donen and Steven S. DeKnight, "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" was the highest rated show for the 18-49 demographic among all cable networks for 12 of the 13 Fridays on which it aired based on coverage rating.* The production team remains intact for the six-part prequel.

Andy Whitfield, John Hannah, Lucy Lawless, Viva Bianca and Steven S. DeKnight will participate in a "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" panel at 3:15 on Friday, July 23 at the San Diego Comic-Con.

About Starz Entertainment

Starz Entertainment, LLC, is a premium movie and original programming entertainment service provider operating in the United States. The company offers 16 premium channels including the flagship Starz� and Encore� brands with approximately 17.1 million and 31.1 million subscribers respectively. Starz Entertainment airs in total more than 1,000 movies and original series every month across its pay TV channels. Starz Entertainment is recognized as a pay TV leader in providing HD, On Demand, HD On Demand and online advanced services for its Starz, Encore and MoviePlex brands. Starz Entertainment (www.starz.com) is an operating unit of Starz, LLC, which is a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation, and is attributed to Liberty Starz (NASDAQ: LSTZA), a tracking stock group of Liberty Media Corporation.





  [july 2010]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
    


· DEXTER (SHOWTIME)
· MIAMI MEDICAL (CBS)
· PAST LIFE (FOX)
· SPARTACUS (STARZ)
· UNDERBELLY (AUDIENCE)
· VALENTINE (CW)





[08/05/25 - 01:01 PM]
Molly Shannon Joins Will Ferrell in Netflix's "Untitled Will Ferrell Golf Series"
The series stars Will Ferrell, in his first TV comedy series, as a fictional golf legend.

[08/05/25 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10 Week of July 28: "Happy Gilmore 2" Continues to Swing Big at No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
The Yosemite National Park-set thriller "Untamed" maintained the No. 1 spot on the English TV List for a third week with another 12.2 million views added to its accumulated 59.6 million total.

[08/05/25 - 11:01 AM]
ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" Featuring the Detroit Tigers vs. Philadelphia Phillies Averaged 2 Million Viewers - Up 72% from Last Year's Comparable Game
"Sunday Night Baseball" is averaging 1,680,000 million viewers, up seven percent from last year.

[08/05/25 - 10:27 AM]
ABC Airs One of Its Most-Watched WNBA Games This Season
The Indiana Fever's win over the Seattle Storm averaged 1.6 million viewers, peaking with 2.0 million.

[08/05/25 - 09:00 AM]
Nominations Revealed for the "2025 Video Music Awards" (VMAs) on CBS
The VMAs return live to New York's UBS Arena airing coast to coast Sunday, September 7 at 8:00 PM, ET/5:00 PM, PT on the CBS Television Network, simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S.

[08/05/25 - 08:30 AM]
Acorn TV and ZDF Greenlight Fourth Season of Gritty Crime Drama, "The Chelsea Detective"
Season 4, consisting of four feature-length episodes, will premiere on Acorn TV in 2026.

[08/05/25 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "My Life With the Walter Boys" Season 2 - Official Trailer - Netflix
Hoping for a fresh start in Silver Falls, Jackie discovers second chances aren't guaranteed when unresolved feelings and small-town tensions resurface.

[08/05/25 - 07:03 AM]
Video: Apple TV+ Reveals Trailer for Third Season of Gripping Sci-Fi Drama "Invasion"
The 10-episode third season will make its global return on Friday, August 22 on Apple TV+ with one episode, followed by one new episode weekly every Friday through October 24.

[08/05/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Jay Kelly" - Official Teaser - Netflix
The film - starring George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, and Billy Crudup - is in select theaters November 14 and on Netflix December 5.

[08/05/25 - 07:01 AM]
Bring Home Big Laughs and Heart! The Box Office Smash Disney's "Lilo & Stitch" Debuts on Disney+ Sept. 3!
Share this out-of-this-world comedy with your 'ohana anytime, anywhere, and enjoy an unforgettable adventure wrapped in chaos, charm, and cuteness.

[08/05/25 - 06:49 AM]
ABC News Studios and Rock'n Robin Productions Announce "Hurricane Katrina: 20 Years After the Storm with Robin Roberts"
The special from ABC News Studios and Rock'n Robin Productions airs Friday, August 29 (8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC and streams next day on Disney+ and Hulu.

[08/05/25 - 06:24 AM]
FOX One Announces August 21 Launch Date and Pricing
The company's new wholly-owned direct to consumer streaming service will launch on August 21 for $19.99 per month or $199.99 annually.

[08/05/25 - 06:16 AM]
Roku Launches Howdy, an Ad-Free Subscription Video Service Offering Award-Winning Entertainment at $2.99 Per Month
Howdy offers subscribers unlimited access to a growing library of the stories viewers love, featuring thousands of titles and nearly 10,000 hours of entertainment from its inaugural partners, Lionsgate, Warner Bros. Discovery, and FilmRise, alongside select Roku Original titles.

[08/05/25 - 06:01 AM]
Global Film Icons Shu Qi and Sinje Lee's Revenge Thriller Series "The Resurrected" Premieres October 9
Set in the aftermath of a high-stakes fraud and kidnapping case, the series follows two mothers who defy fate by resurrecting its notorious scam kingpin sentenced to death - embarking on a harrowing journey of vengeance, redemption, and the darkest corners of human nature.

[08/04/25 - 01:58 PM]
Video: "Shipwreck Hunters Australia" - Season 2 - Official Trailer - Streaming August 27 on Disney+
The team is diving into six epic new missions along Western Australia's ruggedly beautiful "Treasure Coast."