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Starz Signs Jeffrey Dean Morgan for New Series

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Starz has a new series in the works to accompany its hit Spartacus and the upcoming Camelot.

Magic City is the story of a posh hotel in Miami during the late 50s to early 60s, right at the time that Fidel Castro took control of Cuba. As Castro shuts out Havana to the rest of the world, its gambling facilities become unavailable. The hotel becomes a crossroads for entertainers, mobsters, and politicians of the era. Actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Grey’s Anatomy,Supernatural, Watchmen) is in final talks to headline the show as the “suave Jewish-American” who builds and operates the hotel and makes both allies and enemies among its patrons.

Magic City is created by screenwriter Mitch Glazer, who’s best known for big-screen films like The Recruit, Great Expectations, and Scrooged. The show has a ten episode order from Starz, and will be shot on location in Miami for a premiere in 2012.

Who Will Be the New Spartacus?

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According to the latest reports, the search to fill Andy Whitfield’s sandals for Starz’ acclaimed Spartacus: Blood & Sand, has been whittled down to two potential candidates.

As you should remember, Whitfield was forced to bow out of the role after his cancer returned, leaving Starz and creator Steven S. DeKnight the unfortunate job of finding a new actor to take on the character for Season 2 and beyond. The search had previously led producers to screen test three relative unknowns: Stephen Amell, Aiden Turner, and Liam McIntyre. Starz was reportedly most impressed with McIntyre, dropping the other two candidates entirely. But while his acting skills got top scores, his skinny physique was not suited to the buffed-up character, who often wears little more than the gladiatorial equivalent of a Speedo. McIntyre is said to be engaging in an intense workout schedule to add bulk and muscle to his frame in the hopes that he may yet land the coveted part.

Today, word came down that a new twist has been added to the casting process. A twist named Dominic Purcell. Best known for his starring role on Fox’s Prison Break, the actor’s fans know that Purcell already has both the body type and the acting chops for such a grim, meaty part. He also has something that no other actor vying for the role has: name recognition. And Starz was impressed with his audition.

So now it appears to be a contest between these two actors — Liam McIntyre and Dominic Purcell. Starz is expected to make a casting decision shortly, since the second season is slated to go into production soon.

In related news (minor spoiler alert), Digital Spy reports that Lucy Lawless’ scheming Lucretia actually survived her sword-to-the-abdomen in the finale (though husband Batiatus, aka actor John Hannah, was not so lucky), and that she’s back as a full-time cast member for Season 2 with her wicked machinations amped up to new heights. This was an unexpected reprieve for Lawless, who was told repeatedly during Season 1’s filming that the plan was to definitely kill Lucretia at season’s end. DeKnight reportedly held onto this plan until just recently, when he figured out how Lucretia could be a part of Season 2.

Meanwhile, the prequel miniseries Spartacus: Gods of the Arena is set to debut on Starz later this month.

Torchwood’s Provocative New Plot

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Torchwood creator Russell T. Davies has revealed the premise behind upcoming TV mini/series formerly known as Torchwood: The New World, and that the “New World” moniker was just a working title.

Torchwood: Miracle Day is the final title, and the premise finds everyone in the entire world becoming immortal overnight. Much like the global threat seen on Torchwood: Children of Earth, Miracle Day asks what would happen if one day, no one on Earth died. After this “miracle day,” no one ever dies again. Immortality may sound great on paper, but Davies plans on examining the reality of the situation as this miracle quickly becomes a crisis.

For example, the elderly or ill who were in the process of slowly dying will continue that process — without end. New cast member Bill Pullman revealed that the very first scene depicts his character, a convicted murderer and pedophile named Oswald Danes, receiving a lethal injection for his crimes, and then he simply doesn’t die.

The result is a population boom, overnight. With all the extra people, resources are finite. It’s determined that in four months’ time, the human race will cease to be viable. As Davies puts it, “Earth relies on people dying. What is society going to do now? Some of the answers are beautiful and brave. Some of the reactions are terrifying.”

But if there’s one person who has experience with immortality, it’s Captain Jack Harkness. Which of course is why this new season finds the disbanded Torchwood team being reformed.

The new 10-episode series premieres in July on Starz.

A Look at Starz’ Camelot

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Starz has posted a preview of its upcoming series Camelot, which boasts an impressive — if rather young — cast. Creator Chris Chibnall has penned a fresh take on the Arthur legend, which takes advantages of the freedoms offered by pay cable TV. Camelot stars Jamie Campbell Bower (Sweeney Todd, New Moon) as Arthur, Tamsin Egerton (Driving Lessons) as Guinevere, Joseph Fiennes (Shakespeare in Love, Flashforward) as Merlin, Claire Forlani (Meet Joe Black, CSI: NY) as Queen Igraine, and Eva Green (Casino Royale) as Morgan — aka villainess Morgana le Fay.

Here’s Starz’ official description of the series:

In the wake of King Uther’s sudden death, chaos threatens to engulf Britain. When the sorcerer Merlin has visions of a dark future, he installs the young and impetuous Arthur, Uther’s unknown son and heir, who has been raised from birth as a commoner. But Arthur’s cold and ambitious half sister Morgan will fight him to the bitter end, summoning unnatural forces to claim the crown in this epic battle for control. These are dark times indeed for the new King, with Guinevere being the only shining light in Arthur’s harsh world. Faced with profound moral decisions, and the challenge of uniting a kingdom broken by war and steeped in deception, Arthur will be tested beyond imagination. Forget everything you think you know… this is the story of Camelot that has never been told before.

Pullman & Phifer Join Torchwood

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American movie star Bill Pullman and TV star Mekhi Phifer have signed on for the new “international” Season 4 of Torchwood, which is a co-production of BBC and Starz. They join remaining series stars John Barrowman and Eve Myles for the ten-episode fourth season, subtitled The New World.

Phifer will join the Torchwood team as CIA Agent Rex Matheson, who’s described as “a fast-tracked high-flyer with a lethal sense of humor who starts to feel his mortality when his life is put in danger.” Phifer is best known for stints on Lie to Me and ER.

Pullman will star as Oswald Jones, “a dangerously clever convicted murderer who escapes a life sentence on a technicality and becomes a media sensation. Genuinely repentant yet boiling with lust and rage, Oswald gets caught up in a terrifying world crisis.”

Torchwood also recently added actress Arlene Tur as surgeon Vera Juarez in a recurring role.