Showtime invests in ‘Billions’ with Damian Lewis from ‘Homeland’

Showtime is picking up “Billions,” a new drama about power politics set in the New York world of high finance. The 12-episode series will star Oscar nominee Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis, who won an Emmy for the Showtime drama “Homeland.”

“Billions” will be written by Brian Koppelman and David Levien (“Ocean’s Thirteen”) and Andrew Ross Sorkin (“Too Big To Fail”), who will also serve as executive producers. It will begin production later this year in New York and is slated for a 2016 premiere.

The fictional drama will take an insider’s view of the high-finance world by exploring the inevitable collision between two larger-than-life figures -- hard-charging and politically savvy U.S. Atty. Chuck Rhoades (Giamatti) and brilliant hedge fund king Bobby “Axe” Axelrod (Lewis).

Also starring in the series is Maggie Siff (“Sons of Anarchy”), Malin Akerman (“Trophy Wife”) and Condola Rashad.