Starz continues to develop original programming to go toe to toe with the other premium networks like HBO, Showtime, and Cinemax. Along with the announcement that Black Sails will return for a fourth season, Starz revealed that the final season of series Da Vinci's Demons and limited series Flesh and Bone will be binge-released at once on October 24 and November 8, respectively.
The lone new series announcement may be the most interesting as the network revealed the development of noir series Havana Quarter which is set to star Antonio Banderas. The series will be written and produced by Eduardo Machado who worked on the two season run of Starz other noir-ish series, Magic City. Here's the plot of the Havana Quarter books.
Based on the popular four-book series of detective novels “Havana Blue,” “Havana Gold,” “Havana Red” and “Havana Black” written by acclaimed Cuban novelist Leonardo Padura, “Havana Quartet” follows hard-drinking, romantic Cuban Police Detective Mario Conde (Banderas) who longs to be a writer but settled for a job as a detective.
Antonio Banderas has not quite maintained the leading man status he enjoyed in the 1990s, but this may be the perfect project for him to work in. Starz has been known for their violent drama series that have a tinge more nudity than HBO or Showtime. While some have written these original series off as pulpy, it is the perfect place for a noir series to call home. Whether or not Havana Quartet ends up being worth watching will depend on the rest of the cast involved, but I am already very intrigued to see how this turns out.
Havana Quartet does not have an air date, but with eOne retaining global release rights, stay tuned for a major roll-out once it is announced.
