San Diego Comic-Con 2011: A New Spartacus for a New Season

Dianne Garcia

The teaser trailer for Spartacus: Vengeance at the panel at San Diego Comic Con 2011 promises more of what fans have come to love: the violence, the sex and the intense human drama. Cast members Liam McIntyre (Spartacus), Lucy Lawless (Lucretia), Manu Bennett (Crixus), Dustin Clare (Gannicus), Katrina Law (Mira) and executive producer, Steven S. DeKnight were all present to answer the hot questions concerning the newest season.

Dianne Garcia

Liam Mcintyre and Steven S. Deknight

Andy Whitfield originally played the title role during the first season, Spartacus: Blood and Sand. Due to unfortunate circumstances with Whitfield's health, he had stepped down from the role and had given his blessings to the new Spartacus, McIntyre. Despite what might have been a risk to change the actor, fans were overwhelmingly supportive of McIntyre and received high praises from his co-stars.

"I know it's going to be hard for fans. Again, being a fan [of the show], I love Andy, I think he's amazing and nothing is ever going to change that," McIntyre expressed during the press conference. "I'm never gonna be the same actor and I don't want to be. Because Andy's got an amazing Spartacus. My challenge is to honor that by having another great Spartacus."

Dustin Clare reprises his role as Gannicus who viewers saw as the first champion of Capua in season two (which is actually a prequel of the first season), Spartacus: Gods of the Arena. It would be an interesting mix to have all three- Spartacus, Crixus and Gannicus - together in the show. Having three alpha male characters will most likely stir up the raging testosterone in the show and produce plenty of manly gladiator-y spats and throwing around of swords.

Clare joked that Gannicus has been "studying to become a hairdresser" during the panel. When I asked him if, during his absence from the timeline between Gods of Arena to Vengeance, Gannicus had perhaps put down the sword, Clare just smiled slyly and replied with, "I guess you will have to see."

Dianne Garcia

Lucy Lawless

Of course, the women will be stirring up as much trouble as the men. Without revealing much details, Lawless seemed excited about the "dark" places that Lucretia goes to in the new season. Law said that her character, Mira, will be exploring and discovering who she really is.

"My plan for this season is to kill more people and I won't give it away but there's an episode where we kill a lot of people...This season is just epic, it's a grand scale, they're out and about causing mayhem and destruction," DeKnight told the panel audience. "In season two [Spartacus] learns to be a leader."

EDIT: Watch the trailer for the new season below.

For more from SDCC, follow @punkagogo on Twitter.