Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis to star in Showtime pilot 'Billions'

NEW YORK, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis are to star in the high-finance-themed, contemporary drama pilot Billions, Showtime announced.

Written and executive produced by Brian Koppelman, David Levien and Andrew Ross Sorkin, Billions is a fictional drama that takes a "forensic look at the world of high finance by tracking the approaching collision between two titanic figures -- the hard-charging, whip-smart U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhodes, and the brilliant, ambitious hedge-fund king, Bobby 'Axe' Axelrod," a synopsis said.

Giamatti, who will play Rhodes, is best known for his work in the films Sideways and Cinderella Man, as well as HBO's acclaimed miniseries John Adams.

Lewis spent three seasons on Showtime's celebrated drama series Homeland.

Neil Burger has signed on to direct the pilot for Billions, which will be filmed in New York in early 2015.