We are only weeks away from the return of the sword and sandal franchise Spartacus, which will be debuting Spartacus: House of Ashur this December, more than a decade after the last installment. For those who have been missing gratuitous scenes of bloody violence and raunchy sex, then this winter is going to be a hot one as the “thrilling, erotic, history-bending” series delivers an alternate timeline asking, “What if Ashur lived?” What is more, is that creator Steven DeKnight has hinted that there could well be more to come.
Nick E. Tarabay returns as Ashur, who finds that the gods have smiled down on him and given him a second chance after his villainous ways led to his demise in Spartacus: Vengeance. According to Starz’s description:
“What if Ashur had lived, and the Romans rewarded his treachery with the gladiator school where he once bled? Welcome to the House of Ashur. No longer a slave, Ashur has clawed his way to power, owning the same ludus that once owned him. But ruling a band of merciless gladiators is child’s play compared to surviving the savage world of Roman politics — a cutthroat game in which betrayal isn’t a sin, it’s currency. He flips tradition on its head by unleashing Achillia, a fierce and powerful gladiatrix eager to prove herself worthy in a man’s world. Together, they ignite a new kind of spectacle that shocks, disrupts, and offends the elite with every drop of blood.”
While responding to a fan question about whether House of Ashur would be a “one and done” series, DeKnight openly replied, “Season 2 is already written! Just waiting to see how Season 1 does.”
Will ‘Spartacus: House of Ashur’ Return for Season 2?
Just because DeKnight has Season 2 of House of Ashur primed and ready to go, he clearly knows that being prepared does not guarantee audiences will ever get to see it. However, the Spartacus franchise was popular during its run of four seasons between 2010 and 2013, even when facing direct competition from George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones, with its similarly raunchy and gory action scenes.
Spartacus: House of Ashur is arriving at a time when there are no real shows like it currently airing, giving it a free run with fans who made Gladiator II a huge hit last year, and those who keep steamy movies and TV shows at the top of various streaming charts for weeks on end. Does this give the series a strong chance of being renewed for Season 2? Any Roman Emperor would be happy to give a thumbs up.
The original Spartacus series was a big viewership winner for Netflix back in September, and that means there are audiences who just discovered the show a couple of months ago that will be eager for more, and joining long-time fans in jumping straight into House of Ashur when it arrives on Starz on December 5, 2025.
- Release Date
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December 5, 2025
- Network
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Starz
- Directors
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Rick Jacobson