Spartacus Set for Second Season on Starz

BURBANK: The original series Spartacus: Blood and Sand, which premieres on Starz on January 22 at 10 p.m., has already been greenlit for a second season.

Executive producers Rob Tapert, Sam Raimi, Joshua Donen and Steven S. DeKnight—who is also the head writer on the show—have the greenlight to start production in New Zealand on 13 new episodes in the first quarter of 2010. The title of the second season is expected to be Spartacus: Vengeance, but other details are being kept under wraps.

Starz Entertainment’s executive VP of programming, Stephan Shelanski, commented: "We couldn’t be happier with the first season. Spartacus delivers on all levels—action, characters, intrigue, romance and excitement. Spartacus is the most ambitious original project we’ve ever undertaken, and speaks to the commitment to our subscribers to provide truly original programming along with our unmatched lineup of theatrical features."

"Steven S. DeKnight and his team of writers have created a rich narrative that lays the groundwork for more great stories," added  Tapert. “The slave rebellion led by Spartacus and the oh-so-current political intrigue and personal dynamics laid out in the first season provide rich source material for the second season and beyond."