Billions began its run on Showtime back in 2016. Set in the New York world of high-flying finance, the show pitted shady hedge fund manager Axelrod against United State’s Attorney Rhoades, who could be just as underhand in his efforts to bring the billionaire down.
Season 7 ended with a crackerjack episode, and the fans are wondering whether this is the end of the road for Billions. Is that the end of the road for Axe and Chuck?
1. Is Billions returning with a Season 8?
No, there will not be a Season 8 of Billions, with the series ending via Episode 12 of Season 7. It was a satisfying finale, with sworn enemies Axelrod and Rhoades teaming up to bring down familiar foe Mike Prince.
They succeed and shake hands with a new-found respect for each other. But after sparring for the best part of seven years, it feels like their story has now drawn to a close.
Regarding the climax, Levien told The LA Times: “I would love to say that when we started the show, we knew where it would end, seven seasons and 84 episodes later. But we didn’t have that kind of master plan.”
Meanwhile, Koppelman added: “We didn’t know the Mike Prince part initially. But we did see that we wanted to keep our eyes and ears open so that as the show went on, we would still understand how people in the stride of the show mythologized themselves.
“We have a new kind of billionaire, [one] who wants to present themselves as having concerns for the holistic nature of the world and the harm that money can do. That new rhetoric was quite different from Axe. There was a scene where Axe says, ‘Come on, guys like us are monsters.’ And Prince says, ‘Well, but I’m a cuddly monster.’ Anyone who tells you they’re cuddly monsters is not, right? Once we had that piece, we understood the ending we might be marching toward.”
2. Why won’t there be a Billions Season 8?
Announcing the news, president & CEO of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks, Chris McCarthy, said: “Billions has deftly explored power, money, and greed in a way that not only made it a massive hit but also defined its genre thanks to the creative brain trust of Brian [Koppelman] and David [Levien].
“This final season is packed full of the incredible, complex dialogue and character dynamics fans have come to love, and we are thrilled to partner with them on turning this hit series into a global franchise.”
There’s no specific reason for the show’s ending, but the team is keen to get the franchise kick-started and branch out from the original, which is very exciting.
Lewis rejoined the cast for the show’s seventh and final season. He departed from the show in season 5 following the death of his wife, actress Helen McCrory.
While it’s bittersweet to have Lewis back for just one more season, Billions fans can anticipate a lot more to come. Billions won’t return for more post-season 8, but that doesn’t mean that fans will have to bid farewell to the show’s universe.
3. Are there any potential spinoffs in development?
It’s been reported that four more series are in development and connected to the Billions franchise.
This series, tentatively titled Millions and Trillions, will be helmed by executive producers Brian Koppelman and David Levien.
The synopsis for Millions suggests that it will follow the journey of ambitious financial aspirants in their thirties, employing any means necessary to succeed in the competitive landscape of Manhattan. Conversely, Trillions will be a drama centered around fictional narratives involving the wealthiest individuals worldwide.
Billions: Miami is being written by Koppelman and Levien and will be “set in the world of private aviation, where the clientele believe the rules of society, government, and gravity don’t apply to them, amidst the wealth, nightlife, contraband and the cryptocurrency that pulses through that city”.
Another spin-off series, Billions: London, will operate in the U.K. finance world. “Millions would feature diverse 30-something financial mogul wannabes doing whatever it takes to make it in Manhattan; and Trillions is a drama based on fictional stories of the richest people in the world,” a teaser synopsis reads.
Koppelman and Levien said about their new shows: “We remain fascinated by people whose ambition is boundless and who think the laws of civilization and nature don’t apply to them.
“Miami is a vital and vibrant place the super-rich have begun taking over. We’re excited to show everyone what’s going on down there.”
4. About Billions
Billions is an American drama created by Brian Koppelman, David Levien, and Andrew Ross Sorkin. The series is set in financial centres based in America.
The series follows hedge fund manager Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis), as he accumulates wealth and power in the world of high finance. The series premiered on Showtime on January 17, 2016.
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