Sylvester Stallone teams up with 'Yellowstone' star for Texas gangster series about Benny Binion
Las Vegas didn't rise overnight, any more than the man who helped build it. Now his story is getting the TV treatment it deserves, with some very familiar names riding shotgun. Sylvester Stallone's Balboa Productions, Cole Hauser's American Outlaw Entertainment, and MGM Television are officially joining hands on a series adaptation of 'Blood Aces: The Wild Ride of Benny Binion, the Texas Gangster Who Created Vegas Poker'. It's a nonfiction book by Doug J. Swanson that records the incredible rise of one of the most controversial figures in American gambling history.
And yes, 'Yellowstone' star Cole Hauser is set to step into the boots of Benny Binion himself, as reported by Deadline. First published in 2014, 'Blood Aces' reads less like a traditional biography and more like a feverish ride through smoke-filled rooms and backroom deals. Binion's journey begins in Fort Worth, Texas, where he built a reputation as a hustler, and stretches all the way to Las Vegas. There, he helped revamp poker into the industry it is today. The planned series is being positioned as a gritty, character-driven drama that follows Binion's journey. He was fearless and brutal. A family man who also bent the law until it nearly snapped.
The show aims to capture how he outmaneuvered rivals, stared down enemies, and built a gambling empire while ignoring nearly every social boundary placed in front of him. Stallone, who is no stranger to playing and producing larger-than-life figures, made it clear why this project spoke to him. "'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," revealed Stallone.
Hauser, who gained fame as Rip Wheeler on 'Yellowstone', shared that enthusiasm. His statement read, "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." Behind the scenes, the project is stacking serious producing muscle. Stallone and D. Matt Geller will executive produce on behalf of Balboa Productions.
They will be working alongside Hauser and Randall Batinkoff for American Outlaw Entertainment, with Jai Stefan also on board. Furthermore, producers are currently in meetings with top-shelf showrunners. The partnership itself didn't come together by accident. Stallone and Hauser share representation at IAG, led by Jim Osborne. As of now, there's no confirmed production start date for the 'Blood Aces' series, according to MovieWeb. Stallone is still in the middle of filming 'Tulsa King' Season 4, and it remains unclear whether he'll appear onscreen in the Binion project or remain strictly behind the camera as a producer.
