Spartacus: House of Ashur, the new bloody series from the creator of Daredevil, Steven S. DeKnight, is dominating streaming charts globally in early 2026. The production, which revives the Spartacus universe with an alternate premise, reached the top 10 on platforms in several countries, including Starz in the US and Amazon Prime Video in eight nations. Having premiered in December 2025, the series is already considered the best entry in the franchise, thanks to its bold narrative that questions the fate of an iconic character.
The success is largely due to the innovative premise that explores what would have happened if Ashur, played by Nick E. Tarabay, had not died. In this way, the plot places him as the owner of a gladiator school, challenging traditions alongside a powerful gladiatrix. Therefore, the series has generated immense buzz on the platforms, despite dividing opinions among critics and the general public. While experts praise it, fans are still forming their opinion on this new brutal direction.
Stellar Cast and Divided Reception
In addition to Nick E. Tarabay in the lead role, the series features a heavyweight international cast, including Graham McTavish, Claudia Black, and a special appearance by Lucy Lawless, who reprises her role as Lucretia. However, the reception presents an interesting contrast. On one hand, critics celebrated the production, awarding it an impressive score of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. On the other hand, the audience gave it a more moderate rating of 55%, indicating that DeKnight’s bold vision may be too strong for some viewers.
The series continues to be released weekly, with new episodes every Friday on Starz, until the end of the first season, scheduled for February 6, 2026. In this way, fans still have time to follow Ashur’s violent rise and discover if the plot will manage to definitively win over the audience’s heart. With its current dominance on the platforms, Spartacus: House of Ashur has already proven to be one of the major streaming phenomena of this year’s start.
