Netflix Orders Las Vegas Casino Drama Series From Martin Scorsese & ‘Billions’ Co-Creators Brian Koppelman & David Levien

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of Martin Scorseses iconic film Casino, the celebrated director is revisiting the world of Las Vegas gambling with a new drama series that has been officially greenlit by Netflix. The project, still untitled, is being created by Brian Koppelman and David Levien, the co-creators of Billions, who will also serve as the showrunners.

The series, consisting of eight episodes, is set in the high-stakes, fiercely competitive modern-day Las Vegas casino industry, a contemporary yet still treacherous iteration of the once-glamorous city. At its core is Robert "Bobby Red" Redman, the president of the most sought-after hotel casino in town. Redman must make bold and risky moves to secure his position and expand his empire within this cutthroat world.

The project is being executive produced by Koppelman and Levien alongside Paul Schiff, who runs their company Best Available, as well as Scorsese and his Sikelia Productions, Julie Yorn and Rick Yorn for Expanded Media, and former Billions writer-producer Beth Schacter. Kerry Orent, known for The Better Sister, is serving as co-executive producer.

The origins of the series can be traced back to an initial idea pitched by Julie Yorn and Rick Yorn to Netflix, in collaboration with Scorsese, who is managed by Rick Yorn. Discussions for a TV series began after the success of Scorseses 2019 Netflix film The Irishman. Originally, a period piece was considered, but the concept shifted when Koppelman and Levien introduced their vision for a present-day Las Vegas drama. This led to the greenlighting of the series.

While the series shares its setting with Scorseses 1995 movie Casino, it is entirely separate from the film, which takes place in 1973 and stars Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, and Joe Pesci. Scorsese also explored the gambling world in his period drama Boardwalk Empire for HBO.

Koppelman and Levien are no strangers to the casino world, having previously tackled it in a contemporary context through their films Oceans Thirteen and Rounders. This series also marks a reunion for Scorsese, Koppelman, and Levien, who briefly collaborated on Scorseses HBO series Vinyl.

The announcement marks the first series greenlight for Koppelman and Levien since the end of Billions, which ran for seven seasons on Showtime. In addition to co-creating and executive producing the acclaimed drama starring Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis, the duo also created and executive produced Showtimes 2022 limited series Super Pumped. Koppelman has also appeared as an actor, playing Nicholas The Computer Marshall in FXs The Bear.

Koppelman and Levien are currently working on several other shows, with their representation provided by WME and Jackoway Austen Tyerman. Levien is also represented by 3 Arts. Schacter, who worked as a writer and producer on Seasons 5 and 6 of Billions and co-showran its seventh and final season, is also a co-creator of Super Pumped. She is a consulting producer on Apples The Morning Show Season 4 and is executive producing Peacocks upcoming series Five Star Weekend, based on Elin Hildebrand's novel. Schacter is also co-developing a series about the origin of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders based on Texas Monthlys Americas Girls podcast.

Scorsese is represented by WME, LBI Entertainment, and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller.

Author: Zoe Harrison