Yellowstone star to join Sylvester Stallone in all-new "gritty, character-driven" TV series

It's now been announced that Yellowstone's Cole Hauser will be teaming up with Sylvester Stallone and MGM Television for a brand new series that's set to take viewers on quite the rollercoaster ride through the history of poker.

Hauser, Stallone and MGM will be producing the series, entitled Blood Aces, which is based on the 2014 book, Blood Aces: The Wild Ride of Benny Binion, The Texas Gangster Who Created Vegas Poker. The biography was penned by Doug J Swanson and centres on Benny Binion, "a cowboy, a pioneering casino owner, a gangster, a killer, and founder of the hugely successful World Series of Poker."

According to the book's synopsis: "From a Texas backwater, Binion rose to prominence on a combination of vision, determination, and brutal expediency. His formula was simple: run a good business, cultivate the big boys, kill your enemies, and own the cops."

It continues: "Through a mix of cold-bloodedness, native intelligence, folksiness and philanthropy, Binion became one of the most revered figures in the history of gambling, and his showmanship, shrewdness and violence would come to dominate the Vegas scene.

"Veteran journalist Doug Swanson uses once-secret government documents and dogged reporting to show how Binion destroyed his rivals and outsmarted his adversaries, playing a crucial role in the shaping of modern Las Vegas."

It has been confirmed that as well as producing the series, Hauser will be leading the cast of the new series as Binion himself. It's a part that "was made for Cole Hauser to play", according to Stallone in a statement confirming the news.

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He said: "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."

As of now, Stallone hasn't been confirmed for any starring roles in the series but we're sure he will likely make an appearance, with more casting set to be announced in due course.

Of course, the pair are united in their work in the wider Taylor Sheridan TV universe, with Stallone obviously heading up Tulsa King and Hauser having starred in Yellowstone. Hauser will also be leading the cast of Yellowstone spin-off The Dutton Ranch, which will see him reunited with Kelly Reilly's Beth.

However, Binion is set to be quite the different role for the actor, with there clearly being plenty of story points to dig into this casino operator. On the announcement of joining Blood Aces, Hauser said in a statement:"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."

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