Posted in: Preview, Starz, streaming, TV | Tagged: aew, arrow, bleeding cool, cable, heels, pro wrestling, roh, starz, stephen amell, streaming, television, tv, wrestling, wwe

Stephen Amell Welcomes Us to Heels Gymnasium via Twitter

The last time we checked in on  Stephen Amell (Arrow), it was a little over a week ago when we were playing "Inspector Gadget" by deducing that he was getting ready to start training for his upcoming pro-wrestling drama series Heels for STARZ. Well, we're guessing we were either right or a witness to a helluva' coincidence because on Monday Amell tweeted an image of a banner that read "Welcome of the 'Heels' Gymnasium." From a timeline standpoint, it falls in line with an earlier post from Amell where he referenced that he would be "going to camera in less than a month."

Here's a look at Amell's tweet, which included a look at the Heels banner (and we're guessing at least a preliminary logo for the series).

Heels highlights the men and women who chase their dreams in the world of small-town pro wrestling. Set in a close-knit Georgia community, it follows a family-owned wrestling promotion as two brothers and rivals — Jack (Amell) and Ace (Ludwig) Spade — war over their late father's legacy. In the ring, somebody must play the good guy and somebody must play their nemesis, the heel. But in the real world, those characters can be hard to live up to — or hard to leave behind.

Written by Michael Waldron (Loki), directed by Peter Segal (Shameless), and with Mike O'Malley serving as showrunner, the eight-episode series Heels stars Amell, Alexander Ludwig (Vikings), Broadway actress/musician Alison Luff (Waitress), Kelli Berglund (Now Apocalypse), Chris Bauer (The Deuce), Allen Maldonado (The Last O.G.), and James Harrison (S.W.A.T.).

In the ring, Amell's Jack Spade is the charismatic villain, or heel, of the Duffy Wrestling Association (DWA). In the real world, he's its hard-working owner, a husband, and father trying to make ends meet while fighting to realize his impossible dreams. He has the mind of an artist in the body of a warrior, and a Steve Jobs-ian need for perfection — and for control. He says he'll do whatever it takes to build the DWA into an empire. Will he go so far as to risk his marriage – or his relationship with his brother, Ace?

Ludwig's Ace Spade is the beloved hero and star of the DWA. Things are more difficult in the real world, where he struggles to reconcile his town idol status with his insecurities and demons. He's brash, cocky and self-destructive — yet so damn charming and good-looking that you can almost forgive him. If he can keep it together, he'll have a ticket out of Duffy and to the big time. But that's a big if…

Luff's Staci Spade is the reluctant young matriarch of a family-owned Southern wrestling promotion. Having married into the world of independent wrestling, she soon learns that she has to contend with the emotional stakes her in-laws have invested in their wrestling goals and the demands it puts on her family. Berglund's Crystal is a 20-year-old wrestler's valet who yearns to transform this traditional role and compete as a wrestler. A rural-town girl of limited financial means, she's an incredible athlete who just needs an opportunity to prove she belongs in the ring – and she'll do whatever it takes to make that dream come true.

Bauer's Wild Bill Hancock is a larger-than-life former wrestling star who is now a high-level pro wrestling scout. Maldonado's Rooster Robbins is one of the best wrestlers in the circuit who always has something to prove, and always backs it up. Harrison's Apocalypse is a been-around-the-block journeyman wrestler who's been at it for decades and has no illusions of fame or glory.

Originally spearheaded by Paramount Television in 2017, STARZ serves as lead studio, with Lionsgate TV involved as part of the merger between STARZ and Lionsgate's television production operations. Waldron and O'Malley are also set to executive produce, alongside LBI Entertainment's Julie Yorn, Chris Donnelly, and Patrick Walmsley.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!