Showtime signs Billions showrunners

Damian Lewis (left) and Paul Giamatti in Billions

CBS-owned US cablenet Showtime has signed an overall deal with showrunners of its drama series Billions.

Brian Koppelman and David Levien will continue to work on the show, renewed for a fifth season last month, and will develop new projects exclusively for the network.

Billions is loosely based on the activities of former US attorney for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara, and his legal battles with hedge fund manager Steve Cohen. It stars Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis.

As well as Billions, Koppelman and Levien have teamed up on various other productions over the past 20 years, including movies Rounders, Ocean’s Thirteen, Solitary Man, The Illusionist and The Girlfriend Experience.

Showtime president of entertainment Jana Winograde said the pair were “uniquely talented creators and producers, with the ability to deliver dynamic, meaningful drama week after week that not only taps into the zeitgeist, but also redefines it.”

“They are both wildly imaginative and able to tell stories that are emotionally grounded,” she added.