SA Corey’s Captives series is coming to Prime Video! Ultimately, because these things take time, especially in science fiction.
For those familiar with The Expanse, there’s good news for the new Prime series from the same author (James S.A. Corey is the pen name of writers Daniel Abraham and Ty Frank) and showrunner.
Even better, the Captive Wars series is an entirely new universe, separate and distinct from The Expanse. With so many sequels, prequels, spinoffs, and wannabes out there, something unique is an exciting prospect.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t bode well for potential sequels to The Expanse, which ended with three books of storytelling.
On the plus side, this upcoming release bodes well for the continued growth of the science fiction genre, especially in more creative and intellectual directions.
The Creation of a New Content Company: The Expanded Universe
what does that mean? The science fiction genre may be moving in a more intellectual and creative direction, which means the industry is lacking in both.
That’s the point, at least when it comes to multifaceted shows. The Marvel Universe, for example, has exhausted its audiences in many ways. Movie/TV sequels, prequels, and spin-offs are harder to sell to audiences with each new iteration.
Science fiction already has a wide range of content, ranging from epic opera-level dunes to tense silo atmospheres.
“The Expanse” is a prime example of complex scientific ideas and theories coming together coherently on a huge stage, with stunning performances and sweeping visuals.
“exist vastness We built a deep, immersive universe filled with great characters and an intense, emotional story—on a budget that wasn’t crazy. Now we’re bringing that expertise to new storytelling worlds and platforms.
—Naren Shankar, showrunner, The Big Sky
The minds behind this feat of imaginative entertainment are exactly the ones you want to be leading the way.
Expanded Universe is larger than existing production companies. It is a publisher of written media, a game producer, and a film/TV producer all in one.
This is both a consequence of Captive Wars and a new series in the Expanded Universe.
What will happen to the Captive War?
Again, this is a unique and independent story and has no connection to The Expanse. Furthermore, unlike The Expanse, Captive War is an unfinished series. The first book is titled “The Mercy of the Gods” and the second is in the works.
Ever since HBO showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss first threw Game of Thrones into the woodcutter’s feet, potential fans have been wary of embarking on a show based on the unfinished series of novels. Set is understandably cautious.
Fortunately, the producers of Captive Wars are not the same people. While I’ve read the entire Expanse series, I haven’t tried Mercy of the Gods yet (although it’s waiting patiently in my Audible library), so I’ll stick with the abridged summary:
“Private war ensues A band of prisoners rises from the ashes of disaster to destroy the conqueror’s society from within”.
It is also based on the Book of Daniel, which explains the “Captives of Heroes” section. This opens the door to some interesting plot possibilities that weren’t explicitly mentioned in the first book.
Daniel was a prophet who interpreted dreams, some of which were apocalyptic and similar in scope to the Book of Revelation.
Who will star in Captive Wars?
Captives has been greenlit by Amazon, but casting is still a long way off. However, we can speculate based on past experiences and patterns in the entertainment industry.
“The Expanse” series showrunner Naren Shankar is returning to “The Captives” and may try to bring in some actresses and actors he’s already familiar with.
- Steven Straight as James Holden
- Dominic Tipper – Naomi Nagata
- Wes Chatham – Amos Burton
- Cass Anwar – Alex Kamal
- Frankie Adams – Bobby Draper
- Shohreh Aghdashloo – Chrisjen Avasarala
- Chad L. Coleman – Fred Johnson
- Cara Gee – Kamina drummer
- Cohen Alexander – Marco Inaros
These actors played key, recurring roles in “The Expanse,” and it’s hard to imagine someone like Naren Shankar not trying to cast some of them for roles in the new series.
Considering the controversy surrounding Kass Anwar in the latter stages of Expanse , we can safely cross him off the list. However, Wes Chatham’s performance as Amos Burton is a fan favorite, while Dominic Tipper and Steven Strait both give solid performances in their respective major roles.
Frankie Adams may not be the best actress in the world, but Shohreh Aghdashloo is excellent as Chrisjen Avasarala. For now, while the prospect of a new sci-fi series is exciting, we can only guess at the characters.
Who is the showrunner?
Obviously, Naren Shankar is the best, he has handled Sky and is familiar with Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck. The latter two, as writers, may receive “executive producer” credit.
It’s also hard to imagine that they wouldn’t have written much of the script with Shankar himself, who wrote much of the script for “Sky.” The Expanded Universe has a fresh start, so it’s fair to say there are still a lot of roles to fill in the “Chain of Command.”
Director Brock Eisner is also included. Over the course of The Expanse’s six seasons, he directed more episodes than any other director, so his experience and abilities are invaluable.
Naren Shankar and the authors have achieved something special with The Expanse. With so many production companies trying to create even small, tightly constrained worlds on minimal budgets, The Expanse is surprisingly modest.
That would make Amazon happy, especially if they can get the same ratings as The Big Sky.
How many episodes will there be?
For now, aside from a new production studio and producers, everything surrounding Captives is just speculation.
However, Naren Shankar has proven that he can do a lot with a little. For this reason, The Big Sky has more episodes than many of the other big-name TV series out there.
Seasons 1 to 5 of “The Expanse” have a total of 10 to 13 episodes, with only Season 6 having 6 episodes due to budget deviations.
It’s safe to say that, assuming Capture has more than one season each, there will probably be eight to ten episodes.
Of course, inflation is an issue, and The Expanse ended with a short season three years ago. Everything seems to be getting more expensive, and if costs go up, it could mean shorter seasons.
Where can I watch Prisoners of War once it’s released?
Captives will be a Prime Video exclusive, unlike The Expanse , which started on the SyFy Channel (the first three seasons) and ended on Prime.
As with most shows, you may be able to purchase episodes through other providers (such as Vudu, Apple TV+, etc.), but viewing each show as it’s released requires a Prime subscription.
The good thing is, you can get a feel for the overall world of Captive War by watching The Expanse! With the same show’s producers and writers working on both works, the vibe will no doubt be familiar. At least, I sure hope so!
Watch The Expanse online
