Spartacus vet Lucy Lawless is set to make her return to the franchise with an appearance in the new series, Spartacus: House of Ashur. Lawless portrayed the role of Lucretia in the original series, the wife of John Hannah’s Quintus Lentulus Batiatus. Lasting for three seasons and a six-episode prequel series, Spartacus was a massive hit for Starz, setting several records for the network and taking home numerous nominations and awards, including a Best Supporting Actress on Television award for Lawless at the 2011 Saturn Awards.
Per Deadline, Lawless will reprise her role of Lucretia in House of Ashur, which looks to examine an alternate universe where Nick Tarabay’s character of the former Syrian gladiator didn’t die on Mount Vesuvius at the end of Spartacus: Vengeance, but was instead gifted Batiatus’s Ludus in exchange for helping to kill Spartacus. The new series is billed as a “history-bending, erotic, thrilling, roller-coaster experience that builds on everything that made the original series a colossal hit.”
Lawless will appear as a special guest in the first episode of House of Ashur, with her role said to be crucial to setting up the “what if?” events that unfold in the alternate retelling. Steven S. DeKnight, the creator, writer, and executive producer of Spartacus and its new entry, responded to the news of Lawless’ return by saying that he was “thrilled” to have her return to the role, noting how busy the Xena: Warrior Princess actress is these days.
Do We Really Need Another Spartacus Series?
With news of House of Ashur following in the same vein as Marvel’s What If…?, many have been asking if we really need this alternate retelling of Spartacus. While Ashur certainly was a beloved character, was he really that celebrated that he needed his own show set in an alternate timeline? The answer, of course, is yes!
For one, it just sounds like a lot of fun. Spartacus was one of those series where we loved to hate the characters, loved to mimic their unique speech patterns, and enjoyed seeing the way battles were presented in such a way that made us feel like we were right there in the middle of an arena fighting tooth and nail against Theokoles. So in that regard, House of Ashur seems like it’s going to be another entry into the franchise that feels like coming home.
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Which brings us to the nostalgia factor. Sure, it might only be 14 years old, but Spartacus premiered at a time when the world wasn’t as messed up as it is now. It may have had its ups and downs, but Obama was president, Toy Story 3 dominated the global box office, the iPad had just been introduced, Silly Bandz and Monster High dolls were everywhere, and shows like The Walking Dead, Downton Abbey, and Raising Hope were all the rage. That’s what 2010 felt like: hope. It will be nice to revisit the world of Spartacus and slip right into familiar territory, while at the same time being presented with all new characters that we can love – and hate – together. In a way, it will feel like we’re back in 2010 when the series first premiered, and any escape from the horrors of 2024 is gladly welcomed.
Spartacus: House of Ashur is currently in production, and though a premiere date has yet to be set, the series is expected to debut at some point in 2025. We’ll have more news as it becomes available.
Spartacus
is available to stream on both Starz and Plex.