The Roman: Netflix to Film a Series About a Modern Las Vegas Casino Empire

Netflix has announced a new eight-episode series, The Roman — a drama about the modern casino industry in Las Vegas, where power, money, and personal ties once again become part of one very big game.

Oscar Isaac has landed the lead role. He will also serve as an executive producer on the project. Isaac will play Robert “Bobby Red” Redman, the president of one of the city’s leading casino-hotels. His character is trying to maintain his position at the top in Vegas and expand his influence, but to do that, he has to make increasingly risky decisions.

The cast already includes several notable names. Alec Baldwin will play Paul “Primo” Clark, the organization’s longtime chairman and someone who seems almost like a father figure to Bobby. David Costabile will appear as Bill Saverick, the head of a rival casino and an old acquaintance of Redman’s. Betty Gilpin will play Marla Blake, the main character’s wife. According to the description, she is a powerful lawyer with major connections who knows exactly how the dark side of Vegas works.

The Roman is being handled by Brian Koppelman and David Levien. They are the series’ creators, showrunners, and executive producers. For a story about casinos and big money, that is a pretty precise fit: Koppelman and Levien previously worked on the poker thriller Rounders, wrote the screenplay for Ocean’s Thirteen, and created the series Billions.

Another strong detail is Martin Scorsese’s involvement. He will also serve as an executive producer on the project. For a series about Las Vegas, his name carries particular weight: Scorsese directed the 1995 film Casino, one of the most recognizable screen portrayals of old gambling-era Vegas.

The first two episodes will be directed by J.C. Chandor. He has already worked with Oscar Isaac on A Most Violent Year and Triple Frontier, so this pairing is not accidental.

Production on The Roman has already begun, but Netflix has not yet revealed a premiere date. Judging by the announced cast and creative team, the series clearly is not being made as a simple story about the shine of casino floors. It is more likely to be a drama about the people behind the facade of big Vegas — people who know the price of power all too well.