Billions season 6: release date, rumours, cast and latest news on the Showtime drama

In a shock twist, season five ended with Axe narrowly avoiding arrest by fleeing to Switzerland, marking the end of Damien Lewis' run on the show after five seasons as co-lead.

It's safe to say that season six will be very different in many ways without the idiosyncrasies of Axe - and very similar in others, as Chuck will find himself in another financial battle of wills with Mike Prince, the new owner of Axe's companies.

Better yet we also have a release date - and after a long delay for season five, the sixth instalment will be arriving mere months after the fifth season's finale.

Showtime head honcho Gary Levine explained at a TCA session (as per Deadline) that the network felt “guilty” about making viewers wait so long for the rest of the season.

“We felt guilty for the audience to have to wait as long as they did to see the rest of season five so we and the rest of the producers just put our heads down and said just plow ahead,” he said.

The cast and crew then shot season six along with the second half of season five, meaning fans will be returning to the world of New York billionaires, ruthless vulture capitalists and global high finance very soon.

So, read on for more details on when Billions season six will arrive, including the plot, the cast, and latest news - as well as the first trailer.

Billions season 6 release date?

Billions season six will debut in the US on Showtime on Sunday 23rd January 2022, just months after the fifth season's finale. Such a short space between the two seasons will work favourably for Showtime, as audiences will be eager to see what happens next.

However, new episodes of Billions do not usually only air in the UK until a few days after their US broadcast - so expect the return of Chuck Rhoades and co. later that week in late January 2022.

UK fans of the tense drama will presumably be able to watch season six on Sky Atlantic as part of a Sky package, or via a NOW subscription, since that’s the home of the Showtime drama on this side of the pond. Audiences in the US can tune into Showtime on Saturdays at 9pm to watch every new episode.

Billions season 6 cast

There'll be one less billionaire competing in power plays in season six, as Bobby Axelrod has cashed out. In a shock exit, co-lead Damien Lewis has left his iconic role as Axe after five seasons, with his character fleeing to Switzerland after finally being outmaneuvered in the season five finale.

However co-creator Brian Koppelman has since told Entertainment Weekly that "the goodbyes on Billions and the hellos on Billions are never permanent" - hinting that Lewis could return for a cameo or guest role further down the line.

The show still has one original lead though in the form of Paul Giamatti, who will be returning as US attorney and Axe's long-time rival Chuck Rhoades. With Axe now out of the picture, Chuck will now be turning his attention to Mike Prince, played by House of Cards actor Corey Stoll who has been promoted to series regular for the upcoming season.

When speaking to Entertainment Weekly in 2020, Stoll explained, “Mike Prince is so much fun to play and I think he brings a lot to the whole ensemble” – so it’s not surprising that he signed on as a series regular for season six.

New season five addition Daniel Breaker, who plays Prince’s Chief of Staff Scooter, has also joined his on-screen boss in being upped to a series regular for season six.

The rest of the main cast is expected to return, with Maggie Siff as Wendy Rhoades, Chuck’s wife and a performance coach working at Axe Capital. While Asia Kate Dillon plays Taylor Amber Mason, an analyst at Axe Capital before forming their own company, which is later bought by Axelrod.

Meanwhile, Jeffrey DeMunn stars as Chuck Rhoades Sr. and Kelly AuCoin plays ‘Dollar’ Bill Stern, one of Axe Capital’s portfolio managers. And it’s possible that Frank Grillo’s artist, Nico Tanner, could return if Wendy is still open to maintaining some kind of relationship with him.

Eva Victor will also be back as Rian, after her chemistry with Mason proved to be an unexpected highlight of season five.

Billions season 6 plot

Billions season five saw Axe struggle to start up his own bank as Chuck tries to cut him off at every turn. Their battle has always be the central conflict of the series, making Lewis' exit all the more shocking - so it's safe to say there will be a bit of a reset next season.

However, the show's signature cat-and-mouse conflict will continue, with Mike Prince taking over from Lewis as head of the Axelrod Empire and also as Chuck's new rival.

Co-creator Brian Koppelman has assured fans that alhough the show is evolving, it will still retain much of what made Billions a gripping watch.

"So I would just say Billions season 6 really does have all the stuff you love about the tone and ensemble and feel," Koppelman told Entertainment Weekly. "It is a Billions season, but it is structured differently; it's the next evolution of the show. But the characters are still set.

"All the characters still have their own needs, desires, wants, and those needs, desires, wants might very well come into conflict with other characters on the show."

Fellow co-creator David levien also added that Chuck will be deploying new methods to take on this new foe, with the official description reads that Chuck must “must develop a new strategy that is keener and more sophisticated than before.”

The description continues: “All the players, from Wags (played by David Costabile) to Wendy (Maggie Siff), from Taylor (Asia Kate Dillon) to Sacker (Condola Rashad), and of course Senior (Jeffrey DeMunn), must sharpen their weapons and look for new alliances in order to survive. The ground is ever shifting and the stakes absolute. New king, new war, new rules.”

Indeed the fallout from season five has left Wags to face the legal problems that Axe left behind, while Wendy will be processing the one-two hit of failed romances with both Axe and Tanner. Taylor will also continue to be wrestling with thier conscience, after helping to take down Axe only seemed to make them feel sorry for the hedge fund manager.

“The central theme of the show has always been can anybody resist the temptation of that level of money and power?” Koppelman told Variety. “Can anybody remain even close to their true selves when that much money is at hand? In Season 6, Taylor’s not the only character who is face-to-face with that kind of temptation.”

Indeed Levien has explained how the Mike Prince character represents a move away from the hedge fund billionaire and instead how "a new form has emerged of people who say they want to take more responsibility for making things better for people and improving the world.”

Season five showed that Mike was not quite as philanthropic as his humanitarian image suggests - so it will be interesting to see just how much taking over Axe's empire corrupts him.

Billions season 6 trailer

Showtime didn't hang about - the season six trailer was released immediately after the season five finale, and teases the new power struggle between Chuck and Mike:

Billions Season 6 premieres on Showtime on Sunday 23rd January 2022. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.