First ‘Spartacus: Gods of the Arena” Trailer Arrives

As we’ve all found out by now, Andy Whitfield won’t be retuning to season 2 of Spartacus: Blood and Sand due to illness. In addition, the search for an actor to replace him is going in and we expect to get that news pretty soon.

Until then, Starz has gone ahead and made a prequel series to Spartacus: Blood and Sand called Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, which we have the first trailer for today. The new series features some of the actors from the original show, including John Hannah (Quintus Batiatus), Lucy Lawless (Lucretia) and Peter Mensah (Doctore), but tells the story of the beginnings of the Batiatus household.

For more, here’s the official synopsis from Starz:

As the prequel begins, Quintus Batiatus is the acting Lanista while his father Titus is on an extended visit to Sicilia. But Batiatus isn’t satisfied with just the thought of taking over the Ludus one day; he aspires to political power and prestige in Capua, and perhaps beyond. In the class-conscious world of ancient Rome, the House of Batiatus must first earn the respect of both politicians and socialites before being granted the right for its gladiators to fight in the much-revered championship bouts called the Primus. Batiatus must not only survive the harsh politics of Capua, but also compel his hedonistic fighter, Gannicus, to embrace being a champion gladiator who will bring esteem and respect to the House of Batiatus.

No, this isn’t exactly the Spartacus we’ve come to know and love, but it still looks pretty fun. We’re going to give it a chance. Check out the trailer after the jump. Spartacus: Gods of the Arena premieres January 21 at 10/9C on Starz.