You ARE Thpartacus!

Starz Network has OK’d a 13-episode miniseries of Spartacus. Sam Raimi is one of the executive producers.

The series — developed by Raimi, Tapert and Donen — will start production in New Zealand early next year, targeted for a summer debut on Starz and its suite of channels. The network touted the series’ production values; it’s estimated that the budget will end up north of $2 million an episode.

“Spartacus” was inspired by the real-life slave of the Roman Republic who in 73 B.C. led a slave revolt that grew to more than 120,000 fighters. Starz said the story will be “reimagined” it for what it calls a generation of TV viewers raised on graphic novels and cutting-edge production technology.

“This is not going to be at all like the 1960s Kirk Douglas film,” Shelanski said. “We didn’t want your typical sword-and-sandals. It’s going to be fun, fast-moving, full of action and interesting characters and have a little more depth to it than the 1960s film.”

Shelanski added that the show will be produced specifically for a premium cable audience, with “R-rated” action and storytelling. The goal is to accomplish the graphic-novel look and feel of such movies as “300″ and “Sin City.” As with “300,” producers also will be looking to cast “Spartacus” with a group of fresh-faced, unknown actors.

This is worth it just to have Bruce Campbell stand up at the and say “Spartacus, hell! My name’s Ash and I’m a slave baby!”

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