With the Spartacus series continuing to anchor its original programming, Starz has ordered another blood-and-boobs historical epic to series in the form of the Michael Bay-produced Black Sails. Set to film in South Africa, the tentatively titled show is a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic pirate tale Treasure Island. It will take place 20 years before the events of the novel, following Captain Flint (the deceased pirate who literally put the treasure in Treasure Island) and a young Long John Silver as they buckle swash in defense of “notorious criminal haven” New Providence Island. Hit the jump for more, including a full press release.

The new Starz drama series Magic City, created by writer/executive producer Mitch Glazer and premiering on April 6^th, takes place in 1959 at the luxurious Miramar Playa Hotel, during the tumultuous time when Havana fell to Castro’s rebels. Ike Evans (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is the star of his Miami hotel, but to finance his dream, he sold his soul to mob boss Ben “The Butcher” Diamond (Danny Huston). Ike’s wife Vera (Olga Kurylenko), a former showgirl, and his three kids, which include sons Stevie (Steven Strait) and Danny (Christian Cooke), think he’s an honorable man, but nothing at the Miramar Playa is what it seems.

During this exclusive interview with Collider, actor Steven Strait talked about how he came to be a part of Magic City, his vision for the role of Stevie, the father-son relationship, his extensive research of the time period, and how amazing this ensemble has been to work with. Check out what he had to say after the jump:

The new Starz drama series Magic City, created by writer/executive producer Mitch Glazer and premiering on April 6^th, takes place in 1959 at the luxurious Miramar Playa Hotel, during the tumultuous time when Havana fell to Castro’s rebels. Ike Evans (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is the star of his Miami hotel, but to finance his dream, he sold his soul to mob boss Ben “The Butcher” Diamond (Danny Huston). Ike’s wife Vera (Olga Kurylenko), a former showgirl, and his three kids, which include sons Stevie (Steven Strait) and Danny (Christian Cooke), think he’s an honorable man, but nothing at the Miramar Playa is what it seems.

During this exclusive interview with Collider, the always charming and gracious Jeffrey Dean Morgan talked about how he initially thought the show was a mini-series but that he got hooked before realizing otherwise, how different it is to play the lead on a show that he actually get to survive until the end of the season on, how much he enjoyed working with Danny Huston and the phenomenal ensemble, and how he’s become a workaholic, juggling movies during the hiatus of Magic City, which has already received a second season order. He also talked about his next film, The Devil in the Deep Blue Sea, which he starts in New Orleans in April with Chloe Moretz and Jessica Biel, and how he hopes to do The Rut after Season 2 of the show. Check out what he had to say after the jump:

The new Starz drama series Magic City, created by writer/executive producer Mitch Glazer and premiering on April 6^th, takes place in 1959 at the luxurious Miramar Playa Hotel, during the tumultuous time when Havana fell to Castro’s rebels. Ike Evans (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is the star of his Miami hotel, but to finance his dream, he sold his soul to mob boss Ben “The Butcher” Diamond (Danny Huston). Ike’s wife Vera (Olga Kurylenko), a former showgirl, and his three kids, which include sons Stevie (Steven Strait) and Danny (Christian Cooke), think he’s an honorable man, but nothing at the Miramar Playa is what it seems.

During this exclusive interview with Collider, actress Olga Kurylenko talked about how she got her role on Magic City before even doing the chemistry test with co-star Jeffrey Dean Morgan, portraying a real and loving marriage on the show, the incredible wardrobe for the time period, how she generally prefers taking more time with her work than the quick pace of television, and how she’s even more excited to do Season 2 because she knows what to expect. She also talked about working with director Terrence Malick, for his as-yet-untitled feature with Ben Affleck and Rachel McAdams, how you never know what you’re going to be doing because he likes to be spontaneous, and how he took each of the actors in the film out for drive to talk about their characters. Check out what she had to say after the jump:

The third season of Spartacus is rounding up some new cast members to play a couple iconic figures in Roman history. Starz has just revealed in a press release that Todd Lasance (Cloudstreet) and Simon Merrells (The Wolfman) have landed the roles of Julius Caesar and Marcus Crassus respectively. Lasance’s version of Caesar is a handsome young rogue from an esteemed lineage and his deadly intelligence and skill with a sword will be brought to bear against the rebellion as he begins his ascent towards the all-powerful ruler he will one day become. Meanwhile, Merrells’ Crassus is the richest man in the Roman Republic. Envied and despised by the highborn among the senate, he craves the power and respect that defeating Spartacus and his rebel army would bring.

The two join Liam McIntyre in the third season of the cable series which hasn’t yet been given a proper subtitle like the others. Stay tuned as more information becomes available. Hit the jump to read the full press release.

Starz has journeyed back to Rome and Camelot with a couple of their original series, and now the cable network is heading into the past again for Marco Polo, a new epic series about the legendary 13th century explorer from Hidalgo writer John Fusco and executive producers Harvey and Bob Weinstein and Ben Silverman. Described as a martial arts epic, the series will follow Polo’s adventures throughout his early years in the court of Kublai Khan, the ruler of the Mongol Empire. Acting as the ruler’s spy, ambassador and explorer, Marco treks across the Far East and returns with tales of his journeys.  In a court filled with political betrayal and forbidden relationships, Marco must use his martial arts training to survive, but it is his ability to enchant Khan with imaginative tales of his kingdom that is often his best tool to stay alive.

It definitely sounds like a side of Marco Polo that hasn’t been explored on the big or small screen, but it seems strange to think of Polo as a martial arts expert. Sounds a little bit like 13th century Jason Bourne without the identity crisis. Starz has had great success with Spartacus, but I haven’t found myself being drawn to their original content as much as networks like HBO or Showtime. However, they show no signs of slowing down in their efforts to complete with the Emmy nominated giants. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Starz just debuted their new original series Boss with Kelsey Grammer on October 21st, and now the cable network is moving forward with yet another new series. Starz and BBC Worldwide Productions announced an adventure series called Da Vinci’s Demons. Writer David S. Goyer, the man behind films like Batman Begins and The Dark Knight will script the series which follows the “untold” story of the great titular genius during his raucous youth in Renaissance Florence. As a 25-year old artist, inventor, swordsman, lover, dreamer and idealist, he struggles to live within the confines of his own reality and time as he begins to not only see the future, but invent it.

Goyer says, ” This will be a show about secret histories, genius, madness, and all things profane.” Starz Media Managing Director, Carmi Zlotnik adds, “David has reimagined some of the most iconic superheroes of all time, and is again building an extraordinary prism through which to rediscover the world’s greatest genius and most mysterious man.  If modern day has Tony Stark, the Renaissance had Da Vinci.” It’s interesting to hear a historical figure like da Vinci referred to as a sort of superhero, but that’s part of selling the series as an adventure. Likely this will be quite an exaggerated version of history to make for solid entertainment, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be good. For a few more details, hit the jump for the full press release.

Previously we had learned that Australian actor Liam McIntyre would be stepping up to replace Andy Whitfield as the star of Starz epic sword-and-sandal series Spartacus: Blood and Sand due to the latter actor’s struggle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Now we are sad to report news from The New York Times that Whitfield passed away over the weekend due to complications from his cancer. It had always been the hope of Starz that Whitfield would recover and return to the series, but when the disease came back with a vengeance, Whitfield gave his blessing to be replaced on the series. Chris Albrecht, president and chief executive of Starz, said in a statement, “The man who played a champion on-screen was also a champion in his own life.” Our thoughts go out to Mr. Whitfield’s friends and family in this difficult time.

He looks like a hero – handsome and witty with a killer smile – but Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) hides a secret. He is immortal. That is, until Miracle Day happens and, while everyone else in the world is not dying, Jack becomes mortal. Although he thought he had left the Torchwood Institute behind, when this new, epic danger affects the whole planet, Jack finds himself reunited with Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles) and at the center of events, fighting not just for his own life, but for everyone on Earth.

During a recent interview to promote the debut of Torchwood: Miracle Day on Starz, actor John Barrowman talked about Jack’s mental state after the events of last season, how easy it is for him to get back into the character, doing as many of his own stunts as he’s allowed, and what he would do himself, if he knew he couldn’t die. Check out what he had to say after the jump:

In Torchwood: Miracle Day, premiering on Starz on July 8^th, everybody stops dying. All across the world, nobody dies. Day after day, people keep aging, they get hurt, they get sick, but they never die. The result is a population boom, overnight. With all of the extra people, resources are finite and, in four month’s time, the human race will cease to be viable. But, since this clearly can’t be a natural event, someone has got to be behind it, and CIA Agent Rex Matheson (Mekhi Phifer) begins to investigate a global conspiracy that leads him straight to an old, secret British institute, known as Torchwood. When Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) and Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles) get involved, Rex is drawn into a world of adventure, and a threat to change what it means to be human, forever.

During an exclusive interview with Collider, actress Eve Myles talked about how excited she was for the series to film in the States, the transition for Gwen in an American world, how much the journey of Torchwood has surprised her since she first signed on, how she’s enjoyed the new additions to the cast, and how Starz has allowed them to be bigger, braver and bolder, in every way. Check out what she had to say after the jump:

After premiering the first season in April with Joseph Fiennes, Eva Green, Claire Forlani, and more leading the series, Starz has officially decided it will not pursue their medieval drama series Camelot for a second season. A representative for the cable network says, “Due to significant production challenges, Starz has decided not to exercise the option for subsequent seasons of Camelot with our production partners GK-tv, Octagon Films and Take 5 Productions.”  Honestly, I was never sold on the series to begin with as it just seemed like they were taking the violence and sex of Spartacus: Blood and Sand and sending it over to Camelot. Between this and Party Down (a very funny show that, for whatever reason, lacked an audience), the cable company doesn’t seem to have as much luck with their original series’ as Showtime or HBO.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again:  if there’s a reason to live in Texas, it’s Tim League’s Alamo Drafthouse chain, a collection of theaters that make every other big-ass theater chain currently operating in America feel like the shantytowns they are. Whereas most theater chains only screen new movies (and, perhaps, Rocky Horror on Saturday nights), the Drafthouse also offers up elaborate film- and TV-geek friendly events…in addition to a full bar.

Their latest event?  A Party Down marathon that unfolded last weekend across two different parties and one Drafthouse theater.  While the entire series screened for the assembled crowd, the cast and crew (including series creator Rob Thomas) was on-hand to talk about their pre-Party Down careers, the potential for a Party Down movie, and the best way to watch Party Down now that it’s been cancelled.  Read on for our report from the front lines, after the jump.

Last November we heard Pirates of the Caribbean franchise director Gore Verbsinski and screenwriter Terry Rossio were teaming up for a magic based police procedural called Magical Law. Now Deadline has word that Verbinski is also working with The Grudge writer Stephen Susco on The Brink, a supernatural crime drama being developed by the Starz cable network. Based on J.C. Hutchins’ book Personal Effects: Dark Art, the series follows art therapist Zach Taylor’s investigation into the life and madness of Martin Grace, an accused serial killer who claims to have foreseen, but not caused, his victims’ deaths.

Apparently the series will have an interactive element with online components branching off from the show that is described as “equal parts House, CSI, and The X-Files.” Sounds like it could be pretty cool, but I haven’t subscribed to Starz in years, so I may have to wait for the eventual DVD release. Anyone interested?

The new Starz original series Camelot, premiering on April 1^st, is a dark and brutal take on the famous legend about people with complex and conflicting desires, who are in a battle for power. When the sorcerer Merlin (Joseph Fiennes) has visions of a dark future, he turns to the young and impetuous Arthur (Jamie Campbell Bower), King Uther’s unknown son and heir, who has been raised from birth as a commoner. But Arthur’s cold and ambitious half sister Morgan (Eva Green) will fight him for power to the bitter end, summoning unnatural forces to claim the crown in this epic battle for control.

During a recent interview to promote Camelot, show creator/executive producer Chris Chibnall and The Twilight Saga star Jamie Campbell Bower talked about the process of casting, the training and sword fighting necessary for the role, the underlying love story, and presenting this world in a way that audiences have never seen before. Check out what they had to say after the jump:

In the Starz original series Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, actor Aussie Dustin Clare plays Gannicus, a true physical specimen who is fearless in the gladiator arena and possessed by a thirst for the fleeting pleasures of life. Newly promoted to the top position at Batiatus’s (John Hannah) Ludus, Gannicus is best friend to Oenomaus (Peter Mensah) and his wife Melitta (Marisa Ramirez), forming an unlikely triangle of loyal friendship.

During a recent interview to promote the prequel to the popular Spartacus: Blood and Sand, Dustin Clare talked about being the new guy, the extensive physical preparation and training that was involved, not wanting to be known as a sex symbol, and working with Lucy Lawless. Check out what he had to say after the jump: