Overview
- Spartacus: House of Ashur, which Starz canceled on Friday, May 22, 2026, will not be renewed for a second season on the network.
- Deadline reports that Lionsgate Television, which produces the show, is actively shopping the series to other platforms in hopes of finding a new home.
- Starz cited lower-than-expected audience numbers and a viewer profile that did not match the network’s current focus on women and underrepresented groups as key reasons for the decision.
- The series earned strong critical marks, including a 91 percent critics score on Rotten Tomatoes from a small review sample, but that acclaim did not translate into the ratings Starz wanted.
- Creator Steven S. DeKnight signaled cautious optimism on social media, and the cancellation underscores Starz’s broader strategy to prioritize owned intellectual property after its split with Lionsgate.