Tuning In

By | Tuesday, November 4, 2008

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'Spartacus' on Starz

Starz is bringing "Spartacus" to life on the small screen, greenlighting a 13-episode series from executive producers Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and Joshua Donen, the Hollywood Reporter says.

Steven S. DeKnight "Smallville") has signed on as head writer of the hourlong series, set in the brutal world of gladiators, says Stephan Shelanski, executive vice president of programming for Starz Entertainment.

"Spartacus" marks Starz's second original drama after "Crash." The series will start production in New Zealand early next year, targeted for a summer debut on Starz and its suite of channels. The network touted the series' production values; it's estimated that the budget will be north of $2 million per episode.

"Spartacus" was inspired by a slave in the Roman Republic who in 73 B.C. led a slave revolt that grew to more than 120,000 fighters. Starz says the story will be re-imagined for what it calls a generation of TV viewers raised on graphic novels and cutting-edge production technology.

"This is not going to be at all like the 1960s Kirk Douglas film," Mr. Shelanski says. "We didn't want your typical sword-and-sandals. It's going to be fun, fast-moving, full of action and interesting characters and have a little more depth to it than the 1960s film."

Mr. Shelanski adds that the show will be produced specifically for a premium cable audience, with "R-rated" action and storytelling. The goal is to accomplish the graphic-novel look and feel of such movies as "300" and "Sin City." As with "300," producers also will be looking to cast "Spartacus" with a group of fresh-faced, unknown actors, THR says.

Beatles game to MTV

The Beatles are entering the digital age in a way few would have predicted: through a video game.

The single most important catalog in music, one that has never been licensed for any digital sales, is being opened up for MTV Games to create a video-game set for release just in time for the 2009 holiday season, Variety reports.

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