The withdrawal of British actor Andy Whitfield from playing title role in the proposed second season of US cable television show Spartacus has raised questions over future plans for the TV series, which has contributed millions of dollars to Auckland's movie-making industry.
"The future of Starz's Spartacus series is now in doubt," reported an industry website which specialises in news on ending television series, tvseriesfinale.com.
Whitfield was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in March and, after treatment, was declared cancer-free in May. He was training hard to get back into filming, but has now been advised by his doctors to resume aggressive treatments immediately.
In a statement, Whitfield said: "It's with a deep sense of disappointment that I must step aside from such an exceptional project as Spartacus and all the wonderful people involved."
Spartacus was renewed for a second season even before the first started airing, but when filming of the second season was postponed so Whitfield could undergo treatment, Starz ordered a prequel called Spartacus: Gods of the Arena which focuses on co-stars Lucy Lawless and John Hannah.
Whitfield was supposed to return to shoot Spartacus next month, but Starz Media managing director Carmi Zlotnik, said: "We will address our programming plans at some later date."
The prequel is still filming in west Auckland and will screen in the United States in January. The second series which has been contracted was expected to air next September.
