Damian Lewis is returning to Showtime, but not (thankfully) to Homeland. He’s part of the premium network’s upcoming series Billions, alongside Paul Giamatti, Maggie Siff, and Malin Akerman. The series is set up as a chess match between Giamatti’s U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades, and Lewis’ billionaire hedge fund king Bobby “Axe” Axelrod, and deals with ultra-wealth and corruption.

Frankly, the series seems like kind of a throwback, or at least, something that might appear as a faux-gritty series on cable. Despite the solid cast, are viewers really that invested in seeing bad people with lots of money say the word “fuck” a lot? The trailer seems to fall prey to some of the same pitfalls as Showtime’s recently cancelled HAPPYish, where people with money complain about their problems, and viewers are left wondering why we should care. However, the series could also take on a thriller aspect that makes it a little weightier than it currently seems. (Although the main character’s name is “Axe” so … I’ll stay on the side of caution for now).

Check out the trailer and the full official press release below. Billions, which is currently in production, is set to premiere Sunday, January 17th at 10 p.m. on Showtime.


LOS ANGELES, CA – August 11, 2015 – Today, SHOWTIME unveiled the official trailer for its powerful new drama series BILLIONS, premiering Sunday, January 17th at 10 p.m. ET/PT on-air, On Demand and over the internet. Starring Oscar® nominee and Emmy® and Golden Globe® winner Paul Giamatti (John Adams) and Emmy and Golden Globe winner Damian Lewis (Homeland), BILLIONS is a 21st-century examination of the profit and peril of chasing the American dream. BILLIONS is written and executive produced by Brian Koppelman and David Levien (Ocean's Thirteen, Rounders), and Andrew Ross Sorkin (Too Big To Fail). The series is currently in production in New York for 12 one-hour episodes. To watch and share the BILLIONS trailer, go to: https://youtu.be/_raEUMLL-ZI.

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Image via Showtime

BILLIONS is a bold, contemporary drama that melds the worlds of ultra-wealth, influence and corruption as personified in two highly ambitious opposing figures: hard-charging, blue-blooded, politically connected U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades (Giamatti) and brilliant, calculating, blue-collar billionaire hedge fund king, Bobby "Axe" Axelrod (Lewis). Set amongst the Machiavellian machinations of New York City power politics and finance, BILLIONS weaves a complex, intricate narrative featuring a high-stakes game of predator-versus-prey. Maggie Siff, Malin Akerman, Toby Leonard Moore, David Costabile and Condola Rashad also star. The pilot was directed by acclaimed director Neil Burger (The Illusionist, Divergent), who also serves as an executive producer. 


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Image via Showtime
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Image via Showtime
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Image via Showtime