Damian Lewis will be returning on Showtime but not on "Homeland' where he delivered an astounding performance and bagged awards as leading man. The British actor is set to star in the network's new drama series "Billions,' as announced by Showtime last Tuesday.
"The dynamic star pairing of Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis is matched by an equally exciting team in the writing of this show," Showtime executive said David Nevins said in an official statement.
Nevins further explained that highly renowned financial journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin collaborated with famous Hollywood screenwriters Brian Koppelman and David Levien.
"With this caliber of writing and acting, I think the show's authenticity and insider look will have great appeal to a discerning audience," Neames shared.
On the whole, the network president put forward high expectations for the upcoming show, particularly with the collaboration of talented cast members.
According to Nevins, viewers can expect an "equally exciting" writing staff to helm the show. He also stated that the series will revolve around "an incredibly timely and buzzy subject."
As such, "Billions' will explore the world of finance and follow the story of conflicts between U.S. Attorney Chuck Roades, played by Giamatti, and hedge fund mastermind Bobby "Axe' Axelrod, portrayed by Lewis.
In particular, the series will take a deeper look into the aspects of power and politics when it comes to Wall Street and New York investment firms.
Other cast members include Maggie Siff from "Sons of Anarchy,' Malin Akerman from 'Rock of Ages,' Toby Leonard Moore from 'John Wick,' David Costabile from 'Suits' and Condola Rashad from 'Steel Magnolias.' Production for the series begins later this year in New York, and the first season composed of 12 episodes will debut in 2016. The first episode will be directed by Neil Burger, who previously worked on "Divergent.'
Lewis' final appearances in "Homeland' had been his character's unexpected death in the season three finale as well as his brief return in season four when Carrie, played by award-winning actress Claire Danes, overlooked her medications and experienced a hallucination of her former love partner.
Following his exit from "Homeland,' Lewis starred as Henry VIII in the British miniseries "Wolf Hall.'
