Everything you need to know about the sixth series of Damian Lewis and Paul Giammati’s power politics drama.
Words by Eammon Jacobs.
Showtime’s gripping drama Billions keeps going from strength to strength as each new season ups the tension and the stakes as the stupidly wealthy Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis) keeps US Attorney Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) at bay.
Billions season five was hit with a huge delay thanks to the ongoing pandemic, and the 12-episode season was split into two parts in June 2020, with the second batch of episodes returning to our screens on 5th September 2021. But does this mean Billions season six will be even further away to accommodate the production of season five’s second half?
Thankfully, it’ll arrive much sooner than audiences might be expecting, because the cast and crew shot the remaining season five episodes alongside the sixth series itself. Showtime head honcho Gary Levine explained at a TCA session (as per Deadline) that the network felt “guilty” about making viewers wait so long for the rest of the season.
“We felt guilty for the audience to have to wait as long as they did to see the rest of Season 5 so we and the rest of the producers just put our heads down and said just plow ahead,” he said.
So, read on for more details on when Billions season six will arrive, the plot, the cast, and more.
What’s the Billions Season 6 release date?
Billions season six doesn’t have a specific release date as yet, but it will debut at some point in January 2022, just months after the fifth season’s finale. Such a short space between the two seasons will work favourably for Showtime, as audiences will be eager to see what happens next.
UK fans of the tense drama will presumably be able to watch season six on Sky Atlantic as part of a Sky package, or via a NOW subscription, since that’s the home of the Showtime drama on this side of the pond. Audiences in the US can tune into Showtime on Saturdays at 9pm to watch every new episode.
Billions Season 6 cast
The Billions cast is led by Damian Lewis as the ruthless hedge fund manager Bobby Axelrod, who constantly locks horns with Paul Giamatti’s US Attorney Chuck Rhoades. As usual, Rhoades is determined to prosecute Axelrod for his illegal methods of getting ahead of the competition.
The rest of the main cast is expected to return, with Maggie Siff as Wendy Rhoades, Chuck’s wife and a performance coach working at Axe Capital. While Asia Kate Dillon plays Taylor Amber Mason, an analyst at Axe Capital before forming their own company, which is later bought by Axelrod. Season five also introduced House of Cards star Corey Stoll as the philanthropic businessman, Mike Prince. And if series five is anything to go by, he’s going to be a major player going forward.
Meanwhile, Jeffrey DeMunn stars as Chuck Rhoades Sr. and Kelly AuCoin plays ‘Dollar’ Bill Stern, one of Axe Capital’s portfolio managers. And it’s possible that Frank Grillo’s artist, Nico Tanner, could return if Wendy is still open to maintaining some kind of relationship with him.
Billions Season 6 plot
Billions season five saw Axe struggle to start up his own bank as Chuck tries to cut him off at every turn. Their battle will always be the central conflict of the series, so it seems likely that the writers will keep their rivalry burning into the next season. Yes, they briefly worked together in season four to help revive their respective empires, but that alliance didn’t exactly last long.
Don’t expect them to team up again, and they’ll also have other threats to deal with – after all, the stock market is a vicious environment. Axelrod in particular will continue going head-to-head with Corey Stoll’s Mike Prince after he was introduced as a guest star in season five. The House of Cards and Ant-Man actor clearly enjoys sparring with Damian Lewis in the series, as Axe and Max are two sides of the same coin – albeit with vastly different backgrounds.
When speaking to Entertainment Weekly in 2020, Stoll explained, “Mike Prince is so much fun to play and I think he brings a lot to the whole ensemble” – so it’s not surprising that he signed on as a series regular for season six.
Billions Season 6 Trailer
Showtime hasn’t released a trailer for Billions season six just yet, since season five doesn’t finish airing until 3rd October 2021. It’ll be interesting to see where episode 12, “No Direction Home”, leaves Bobby, Chuck, Mike, Wendy, Taylor and Nico.
Billions Season 6 premieres on Showtime in January. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.