“If the fans are up for it, we have a lot more stories we’d love to tell”: Tenika Davis, Nick E Tarabay and Steven S DeKnight on Spartacus – House of Ashur

A what-if take on the death of Ashur, Spartacus: House of Ashur is an alternate timeline to the main series in which the character is given a second chance at life and tries to redeem himself. This time around, he has his own gladiator school. To make his mark in this new world, he recruits Achillia, introducing the gladiatrix decades ahead of the known historical records. However, he does this not out of the goodness of his heart or any form of altruism, but as a gimmick to establish himself. Steven S. DeKnight expands his world of bloody fists and insatiable political clashes with this new instalment, adding modern intrigue and even more action, while providing something fresh for new fans to gravitate towards.

House of Ashur sees the return of Nick E Tarabay to the role of Ashur, this time donning the name of Dominus. Joining him is Tenika Davis playing Achillia. The two have electric chemistry on-screen, amplifying the drama and tension of House of Ashur. The Upcoming caught up with these two and DeKnight to discuss the much-anticipated release. We first spoke to Davis, who expressed her love for Spartacus long before being cast. She talked about the audition process in which DeKnight initially reached out to her for a specific role in mind. Davis also touched on her journey of coming into a male-dominated space and how that experience helped her relate to Achillia.

We talked to Tarabay about his decision to come back, especially after all the years away from the character of Ashur. He explained the parallels between Ashur and Achillia, their roles as outsiders – how he tapped into the darkness within Ashur to capture the intensity between the two characters during their combat sequences. Tarabay also emphasised the wealth of content provided by the historical context that allowed the Spartacus universe to continue, and the limits broken by doing a what-if scenario in the new series.

Finally, DeKnight also popped in for a quick conversation on what made Ashur the perfect choice for the spin-off, especially the anti-hero angle to his story. He also commented on people’s affinity for outsiders, and their fascination with underdogs – seeing those underdogs rise to the occasion and surpass people’s expectations. DeKnight dissected the new timeline created by House of Ashur, things it changed, and the precedent it set for the rest of the world he’s building for the Spartacus franchise.

Mae Trumata

Spartacus: House of Ashur is released on 6^th December 2025.

Watch the trailer for Spartacus: House of Ashur here: