Before Spartacus: Gannicus
Imagine how much better history class would be if the Starz cable network rewrote all major historical events. Wild-eyed groupies would’ve lined Revolutionary War battlefields, cheering and pulling their breasts out. The headshot that killed President Abraham Lincoln would’ve been a donkey punch delivered by an overly enthusiastic transgender dominatrix. And on that monumental day in July 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin would’ve 69ed with Star Trek’s Orion slave girls in the universe’s first zero gravity orgy. [complex.com]
The Champion of…
Spartacus: Gods of the Arena follows the character Gannicus (Dustin Clare), the first gladiator representing Lentulus Batiatus to become Champion of Capua. The miniseries tells the story in a more ruthless time before Spartacus’ arrival where honor was just finding its way into the arena. Gods of the Arena takes place 5 years before Blood and Sand.
The idea for the prequel came from a conversation that creator Steven S. DeKnight had with actor John Hannah who portrayed Batiatus in the series. Hannah’s character had been killed off in the first season, but Hannah enjoyed working on the show so much that he told DeKnight he’d be more than willing to continue working with it somehow. As it was, production of the second season was on hold due to the declining health of star actor Andy Whitfield. So DeKnight’s idea to shoot a prequel to season one was the ideal way to continue working with John Hannah and give audience members something to “feast on” until season two could go into production. [IMDb]
Gannicus proves himself a remarkable physical specimen: fearless in the arena and possessed by a thirst for the fleeting pleasures of life. His love of wine and women, coupled with his unwavering arrogance, is unmatched by any of the other gladiators.
Gannicus “signature attacks” are:
- Thrusting his swords at the same time towards the opponent’s neck and either decapitating them or slashing their throats.
- Jumping towards a wall and performing a 360º flip and either kicking or slashing the opponent with his sword/s.
Music: edIT – LTLP