Sylvester Stallone's production company Balboa Productions, and
"Yellowstone" star
Cole Hauser's American Outlaw Entertainment are teaming up with MGM Television for a series adaptation of the non-fiction book
"Blood Aces: The Wild Ride of Benny Binion, the Texas Gangster Who Created Vegas Poker" by
Doug J. Swanson. Hauser is also set to play Binion.
Published in 2014, the book chronicles the explosive rise of
Benny Binion from a Fort Worth, TX hustler to the ruthless, larger-than-life mastermind who redefined Vegas and the worlds of poker and rodeo. The show has been described as a gritty, character-driven prestige series that will capture his unapologetically bold style, from violently outsmarting rivals to building a family empire and bending the law to his will.
Stallone said in a statement:
"Douglas J. Swanson's book captures the incredible life of Benny Binion, a New West icon who was a conduit connecting many worlds, some glamorous, some dangerous, some shady, but all intriguing, while helping to build the foundation for both Las Vegas as we know it and the explosive worldwide popularity of poker. This is a story that will captivate audiences, and it's a role made for Cole Hauser to play. I am proud and excited to partner with Cole to bring this story to life."
Hauser added:
"Benny Binion is one of the great Western American characters and success stories of the 20th century, loaded with ambition, vision, balls, and like all controversial characters, many flaws. His legacy is undeniable. How he built it is an incredible story which we can't wait to tell. It's a privilege to play him and an honor to produce this with Sylvester Stallone and MGM to bring this incredible story to life."
Stallone and
D. Matt Geller will executive produce for Balboa Productions alongside Hauser and
Randall Batinkoff for American Outlaw Entertainment, and
Jai Stefan. Producers are currently meeting with top-tier showrunners for the project.
MGM Television's Head of Scripted Series,
Lindsay Sloane had this to say about the show:
"Benny Binion’s story is a sweeping American saga of ambition, risk, and reinvention, set against the mythic backdrop of a rapidly evolving Las Vegas. With Sylvester Stallone and Cole Hauser at the helm, this project brings together bold, cinematic storytelling and a deeply compelling central performance to explore the origins of modern poker and the high-stakes world that shaped it. We're thrilled to partner with such an exceptional creative team to deliver a prestige drama that is as gripping and unpredictable as the man at its center."
Hauser can next be seen in the
"Yellowstone" spinoff
"The Dutton Ranch". He is also set to star alongside
Matthew McConaughey in an upcoming football drama from Skydance and writer
Nic Pizzolatto (
"True Detective"), which Netflix acquired in a heated bidding war.
Stallone is currently shooting the fourth season of his Paramount+ series
"Tulsa King", and he's also producing Amazon MGM's untitled
Mike Thornton biographical action thriller directed by
Patrick Hughes and starring
Alan Ritchson.
