A 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' vet will serve as showrunner

Continuing its aggressive push into scripted programming, Starz has enlisted Sam Raimi to bring "Spartacus" to the small screen.

Starz announced Monday (Oct. 27) that it has ordered "Spartacus" as a 13-episode series to begin production in early 2009, premiering later that year.

Raimi will executive produce along with long-time collaborators Rob Tapert and Joshua Donen.

Steven S. DeKnight ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") will serve as showrunner on the series, which will find its basis in the historical Spartacus, an actual slave who led a revolt in 73 BC, eventually earning the support of more than 120,000 warriors.

"By utilizing the latest digital filmmaking techniques to create the look of this series, we'll be able to tell the story in a way never before seen with production values far beyond what even the most ambitious TV series can offer," Tapert says in a statement.

Raimi adds, "It is going to be very exciting to take one of the most beloved and inspiring characters of all time, re-invent and bring them to life for a whole new generation of TV viewers."

The Spartacus character was at the center of Stanley Kubrick's 1960 feature, as well as a 2004 telefilm starring Goran Visnjic. Starz promises "intense action and vivid, R-rated storytelling," as well as a "new set of stories rich in character, action, sex and combat."

"When 'Spartacus' debuts in the summer of 2009, it will give our subscribers a show unlike anything currently on TV: a fresh, high-energy action series with nothing held back, says Stephan Shelanski, Starz' executive vice president for programming. "We think it will be the destination show for next summer. It, along with our other original productions underscores our commitment to being a new kind of TV company, programming the biggest movies and the best new television series."

Starz premiered its first dramatic series, "Crash," on Oct. 17. The network also recently ordered the comedy "Party Down" from Rob Thomas for a 2009 premiere.