Variety is reporting that Spartacus is in development as a feature film, on the heels of a fairly successful Starz television series.
Focusing on the rebel leader who took on the Roman Empire for two years, King and Tim Headington’s GK Films banner acquired the pitch pre-emptively from 300 scribe writer Michael B. Gordon. According to Variety, the project is aiming for a less fictionalized storyline and will take a more factual historic approach. We will see Spartacus as a revolutionary who leads a band of 30,000 gladiators and 40,000 freed slaves in revolt against the Roman war machine between 73 and 71 BC. The rebellion was defeated through commander Marcus Licinius Crassus.
What does this mean? After the television series meshed elements from 300 and fantasy genres for a fairly engaging piece, which was sidetracked due to health issues from Andy Whitfield (the title character of Spartacus), a more reality based and modern Spartacus could be a career maker in the same way Gladiator made Russell Crowe a star. Or it could become another Kingdom of Heaven, as swords and sandals films don’t have a high rate of success in the modern era.
What do you think? Do we need another Spartacus feature film? Or is the television show and the Kirk Douglas version good enough as is? Let us know below.
