"Its Gladiator meets Deadwood," said executive producer Rob Tapert (Xena), about his new Starz Cable TV series Spartacus, a retelling of the true Roman slave uprising story, first depicted on the big screen by actor Kirk Douglas in director Stanley Kubrick's 1960 film of the same name.

But any similarities will end there as Tapert is quick to point out "ours will be a totally R-rated, hard, hard show."

Also on board the 13-episode series are executive producers Sam Raimi and Joshua Donen, with Steven S. DeKnight as head writer.

"We don't want to shy away from violence or sexuality," said DeKnight. "The beauty of being on premium cable is there is no story we can't tell."

The series will start in New Zealand this year, budgeted at $2 million per episode. The 100% green-screen production will reportedly borrow visual cues from the aesthetic of films Sin City and 300.

Aside from the Kubrick adaptation of author Howard Fast's novel, USA Network produced a 2004 TV mini-series starring actor Goran Višnjić.

Yet DeKnight said they can still find a 'fresh balance' between realism and style. "There's a gladiator fight in the first season of Rome that I leaped off my couch when I saw it," DeKnight said.

"That will be more like what Spartacus will be like."

Starz plans to premiere Spartacus fall 2009, while producers continue to search for an actor, ie. an "undiscovered action star" to fill the lead role.