HBO Should Bring Back Rome Instead Of More Game Of Thrones Shows

HBO's Rome was Game of Thrones before Game of Thrones, and a revival could be the network's answer to Westeros fatigue. The sword-and-sandal historical epic was HBO's first real attempt at going big-budget. Even produced in collaboration with the BBC, the price tag for the series proved too expensive. Twenty years later, though, HBO could afford to finally resurrect Rome.

Rome was HBO's answer to Gladiator. More of an ode to the historical epics of the classical Hollywood era than real history itself, it traded accuracy for spectacle while taking HBO's penchant for violent TV to its logical next level.

Short-lived as it was, Rome walked so Thrones could run. Now, in the era of Thrones prequels, Rome is overdue to return.

"Rome" Was HBO's Epic Predecessor To "Game Of Thrones"; Why It Should Come Back 20 Years Later

Rome's Spectacular Take On History Is Due For A Renaissance

Rome premiered in 2005, when HBO was in a transitional period. The shows that transformed it into a TV empire, like The Sopranos and The Wire, were in their later seasons. Genre shows like True Blood, Sopranos' campier gangster heir Boardwalk Empire, and of course, Game of Thrones, were still a few years away.

Rome was huge in scope, compared to most TV that had come before it. It was an action-adventure series set against the backdrop of the Fall of the Roman Republic, with famous historical figures like Julius Caesar, the future first Roman Emperor Augustus, and more as characters. Its chance to be a massive hit with audiences was mitigated by its abbreviated two-season run.

Yet Rome is easily revivable. A belated third season of Rome could pick up a generation later, with an all-new cast. Or it could mine even deeper into Roman history for a prequel. Rome could be converted into an anthology series. It could be brought back in many different ways, and this time, audiences might be ready for it.

HBO Could Do "Rome" On A Scale Today That Was Unimaginable In 2005; Why It's Worth A Modern Revival

Rome Could Be An Alternative To More Game Of Thrones

Game of Thrones' first prequel, House of the Dragon, is expected to end its run after its fourth season. The new series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is designed to run longer, with shorter, easier to produce episodes, and notably, a less massive budget. Beyond that, HBO has more Thrones content in development, but it should also seek to invest in alternatives.

Bringing Rome back would be a chance to do the series justice, by modern TV standards. Showtime's Spartacus franchise has proven there's still an audience for the sword-and-sandal genre. A version of Rome made with the large-scale budget of Game of Thrones, designed to deliver the same spectacle, could prove to be a huge success.

The average HBO show has more eyes on it today than Rome had during its original run. TV shows like Rome become sensations in the way they didn't 20 years ago. At some point, HBO needs to try to capture the magic of Game of Thrones with a non-Thrones show, and the revival of Rome could be an unexpected solution to that problem.