Axe is back! After five seasons, fans of Showtime’s longest-running drama, Billions, lost their favorite character, hedge-fund king Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis). But all of that is about to change upon his return in season seven. If you recall, the protagonist’s departure forced the show to shift gears for season six, as we saw his longtime rival Mike Prince (Corey Stoll) claim his seat as the new head of Axe Capital. Naturally, it didn’t take long for former US attorney Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) to find his newest nemesis, this time going toe-to-toe with Prince.
Since the series premiered in 2016, co-creators Brian Koppelman, David Levien and Andrew Ross Sorkin have famously drawn inspiration from the likes of Steve A. Cohen, Preet Bharara, Elon Musk and other one-percenters to create their morally agnostic cast of characters. Though season six ended with Chuck spending a brief time behind bars trying to take down Prince, you can bet the central power battle between the two will continue in season seven. Wealth is war, after all.
As Billions gears up for its next installment, there are even more questions about how the upcoming season will unfold. For those still tuning in, we’ve got everything you need to know about Billions season seven including when it will premiere, which cast members will return and what will happen going forward.
Billions Season 7 Release Date: When Will It Air?
While Showtime has yet to announce a release date, the network officially renewed Billions for a seventh season back in February of 2022 when season six was still airing. According to past installments, which have all premiered between January, February and March (except for season five), the series is likely to return to screens in early 2023. So hopefully, the wait for new episodes won’t be long. In October, Koppelman shared on social media that the first table read of season seven was underway. A few weeks later, there were casting notices posted throughout New York City, meaning that Billions had begun filming.
Billions Season 7 Cast: Who’s Returning?
You can expect the usual cast of characters to come back for season seven. That includes leads such as Giamatti and Stoll, plus other regulars including Maggie Siff as Wendy Rhoades and David Costabile as Mike Wagner. Asia Kate Dillon who plays Taylor will also be in the mix, in addition to Condola Rashad as Kate Sacker and Jeffrey DeMunn as Chuck Rhoades Sr.
Most importantly, Lewis is making his big return. The actor broke the news that he would be rejoining the cast of Billions and reviving his role for season seven during a recent appearance on the Late Show With Stephen Colbert. “Axe is back,” he announced. “And it’s exciting. He’s not been around for a couple seasons but he’s back.”
Prior to his departure at the end of season five, he told The New York Times that “there’s an opportunity maybe for me to return. But for now, broadly speaking, Axe has been vanquished.” Then, roughly a year after his exit, he was reportedly spotted on set in London alongside former co-stars Giamatti, Siff and Costabile.
Billions Season 7 Plot: What Will Happen?
The season six finale, “Cold Storage,” concluded with a victory of sorts—although it’s unclear who the real winner was. Chuck finally managed to break into one of Prince’s black boxes, exposing his wealth of untaxed cryptocurrency and simultaneously ruining his future presidential run. However, Rhoades was arrested shortly after for using a fake warrant to obtain the evidence in question. Prince’s remaining drives were then seized; however, no one was able to crack the code to see what was inside. Prince literally buckles at the fact that while he just got away with tax fraud, he also lost a whopping $3.5 billion.
“We were initially focused on hedge fund billionaires who were press shy and didn’t want to be written up for being so rich,” Levien told Forbes. “We’ve seen a shift to a more public style of billionaire who wants to influence the public discourse. That’s where Mike Prince comes from.” Setting the stage for season seven, the cat and mouse game is expected to continue now that Prince’s “good billionaire” persona has been publicly tarnished and Chuck has been busted out of jail by Dave (Sakina Jaffrey). As for Axelrod, season five concluded with the tycoon entering a self-imposed exile in Switzerland in order to avoid prosecution, so that’s likely where we’ll find him.
According to the network, Lewis will star in six out of the 12 episodes slated for season seven. The official logline reads: “In season seven, alliances are turned on their heads. Old wounds are weaponized. Loyalties are tested. Betrayal takes on epic proportions. Enemies become wary friends. And Bobby Axelrod returns, as the stakes grow from Wall Street to the world.”
Paul Giamatti as Chuck Rhoades in Billions
Christopher Saunders/SHOWTIME
Will There Be a Billions Season 8?
Billions has earned its place as one of the longest-running series in Showtime’s history. But all good things must come to an end, right? Dan Soder, who plays Dudley Mafee, let it slip during an appearance on NBC Sports Chicago’s Football Night that Billions will conclude with season seven.
“Season seven, the final series of Billions, on its way,” he told host Mike Berman. “Am I not supposed to say that? I think so. It’s the final season.”
The news, while not entirely shocking, has yet to be confirmed by the network. However, if it does turn out to be true, it will be the end of an era.
Is Billions Getting Its Own Spin-Off?
Yes, and more than one. Showtime recently announced that Billions will be made into a franchise, consisting of up to four offshoots of its flagship series. Additional installments will include Millions, a financial drama that’s centered around thirtysomethings in Manhattan, and Trillions, which will focus on the world’s richest titans going head-to-head. Also on the docket are two series that will take place in Miami and London, respectively. The former will dive deep into the private aviation industry and cryptocurrency while the latter is expected to follow the UK’s high finance scene.
Corey Stoll as Michael “Mike” Prince in Billions
Christopher Saunders/SHOWTIME
Where to Watch Billions Season 7
Billions season seven will be released exclusively on Showtime so if you want to tune in with the rest of the world, you’ll have to subscribe to the Showtime app. The platform offers a 30-day free trial, but after that, it’ll cost you $10.99 per month. If you’re an Amazon Prime Video member, you can also stream seasons one through four of Billions for free.
