Heels Teaser Trailer Offers First Look at Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig in STARZ Wrestling Drama

If you have been waiting for Stephen Amell's TV return, we've got good news for you.

STARZ released the official trailer and key art today for its new original drama series Heels, set in the world of independent professional wrestling.

Amell has long shared his appreciation for the sport and made appearances on various pro wrestling programs, so it seems like a dream come true for him.

Written and created by Executive Producer Michael Waldron (Loki, the upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) with Executive Producer Mike O’Malley (Shameless, Survivor’s Remorse) as showrunner, Heels stars Amell (Arrow) as Jack Spade, with Alexander Ludwig (The Hunger Games, Vikings) playing his younger brother, Ace.

Heels is a story about the men and women who chase their dreams in the world of small-town pro wrestling.

Set in a close-knit Georgia community, it follows a family-owned wrestling promotion as two brothers and rivals war over their late father’s legacy.

In the ring, somebody must play the good guy, and somebody must play their nemesis, the heel.

But in the real world, those characters can be hard to live up to — or hard to leave behind.

The drama series also stars Alison Luff as Staci Spade, Jack’s wife, who learns that she has to contend with the emotional stakes her in-laws have invested in their wrestling goals and the demands it puts on her family.

Mary McCormack stars as Willie Day, Jack’s business partner and the logistical brains behind the local wrestling organization.

Kelli Berglund is Crystal Tyler, Ace’s valet, and love interest.

Allen Maldonado plays Rooster Robbins, one of the best wrestlers in the circuit who always has something to prove and always backs it up.

Two-time Super Bowl champion James Harrison stars as Apocalypse, a been-around-the-block journeyman wrestler who’s been at it for decades and has no illusions of fame or glory.

And Chris Bauer is Wild Bill Hancock, a larger-than-life former wrestling star who is now a high-level pro wrestling scout.

Amell spent years perfecting on-screen fight scenes and worked very hard to achieve a physique applicable to hero Oliver Queen. What he's showing off in the teaser trailer for Heels, though, is on an entirely different level.

Ludwig had an equally as challenging job on History's Vikings, and he's got a lot to live up to with Amell setting such a vibrant example of going all the way for the job.

Unsurprisingly, Ludwig appears to match Amell step for step.

As someone who has no love for sports, fictional sports stories manage to drag me in every time, and the teaser offers Friday Night Lights vibes and is reminiscent of the hard work and appetite of the characters and actors from Kingdom.

Peter Segal (Get Smart, 50 First Dates, Tommy Boy, Shameless), who directs several episodes, also serves as Executive Producer.

Take a look at the first teaser now:

The new STARZ original series will premiere worldwide on Sunday, August 15, across all STARZ platforms, including at 9:00 PM ET/PT on STARZ in the U.S. and Canada, and will air day and date internationally on the STARZPLAY premium streaming platform across its complete footprint in Europe, Latin America and Japan.

Along with Waldron, O’Malley, and Segal, LBI Entertainment’s Julie Yorn (Hell or High Water, White Boy Rick, The Dirt), Christopher Donnelly, and Patrick Walmsley will also serve as Executive Producers.

Heels is produced by Lionsgate TV for STARZ in association with Paramount Television Studios.

Senior Vice President of Original Programming Samantha Offsay Nissen and Director of Original Programming Alex Alberts are the executives overseeing Heels on behalf of STARZ, with Director of Original Programming Jade-Addon Hall as the executive overseeing Heels on behalf of Lionsgate.

Will you be watching the new drama? We can't wait!

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.