Starz is in Talks to Make a 'Spartacus' Spinoff Series About Caesar

Starz recently canceled "Boss," its acclaimed but low-rated political drama starring Kelsey Grammer, after two seasons, and its biggest hit, the period action series "Spartacus" is coming to an end after an upcoming season kicking off on January 25th. The 1959 Miami-set "Magic City" has been renewed for a second season and "Da Vinci's Demons," a new series from David S. Goyer, will premiere in the spring of next year, but the network's in search of more potential breakouts as it tries to muscle its way in alongside HBO and Showtime's better-known original programming slates.

One way it might do that is by bringing back "Spartacus" without really bringing it back. Deadline reports that Starz is looking into a spinoff series about the young Gaius Julius Caesar, who'll be introduced in the third and final season and will be placed by Aussie actor Todd Lasance ("Cloudstreet," "Underbelly"). Caesar will serve as a nemesis to the title character (Liam McIntyre, who took over for the late Andy Whitfield after the first season), working to put down the slave rebellion. The spinoff is the brainchild of "Spartacus" executive producer Robert Tapert.

Starz has several other new series in the worlds -- sci-fi action series "Incursion," from "Spartacus creator Steven DeKnight, J. Michael Straczynski vampire saga "Vlad Dracula," Michael Bay's pirate drama "Black Sails" and historical drama "The White Queen," based on Philippa Gregory’s books.

Ciarán Hinds played Julius Caesar in the HBO/BBC series "Rome," which was set toward the end of his life.