Sylvester Stallone and Cole Hauser Join Forces with MGM Television for ‘Blood Aces’ Series on the Rise of Modern Las Vegas
Sylvester Stallone to Produce ‘Blood Aces’ Series About Vegas Legend Benny Binion
Sylvester Stallone’s Balboa Productions, Cole Hauser’s American Outlaw Entertainment, and MGM Television are collaborating on a series adaptation of Doug J. Swanson’s book, Blood Aces: The Wild Ride of Benny Binion, the Texas Gangster Who Created Vegas Poker. This series will delve into the life of Benny Binion, a key figure in the establishment of modern Las Vegas gambling, with Hauser portraying the iconic character.
Published in 2014, Blood Aces details Binion’s transformation from a hustler in Fort Worth, Texas, to a formidable figure who redefined the gambling landscape of Las Vegas as well as poker and rodeo culture. The adaptation aims to highlight his bold and often ruthless approach, showcasing his cunning rivalries, family dynamics, and legal manipulations.
“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,” Stallone remarked. “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.”
Stallone will serve as an executive producer alongside D. Matt Geller for Balboa Productions, as well as Hauser and Randall Batinkoff for American Outlaw Entertainment, and Jai Stefan. The production team is currently in discussions with potential showrunners for the project, with Stallone and Hauser sharing representation through IAG, led by Jim Osborne.
Hauser expressed his enthusiasm for the role, stating, “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.”
Lindsay Sloane, Head of Scripted Series at MGM Television, noted, “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.”
Hauser, acclaimed for his role as Rip Wheeler in Yellowstone, will soon appear in the Yellowstone spinoff The Dutton Ranch and in a football drama from Skydance, created by Nic Pizzolatto.
As for Stallone, his Balboa Productions is currently filming the fourth season of the Paramount+ series Tulsa King and is working on an untitled Vietnam-set action thriller with Amazon MGM, centered on Medal of Honor recipient Mike Thornton.
This announcement comes just a week after reports surfaced of Balboa renewing its first-look deal with Amazon MGM Studios.
