‘Billions’ Final Season Trailer Shows Damian Lewis Return: “I’m Back”

“I’m back now, and I’m wide awake,” declares Damian Lewis‘ hedge fund billionaire Bobby “Axe” Axelrod in the trailer for the seventh and final season of Showtime‘s Billions.

The trailer marks the return of the fan-favorite character to the finance drama, which begins its new season Friday, Aug. 11.

In season seven, Showtime says, “alliances are turned on their head … old wounds are weaponized … loyalties are tested … betrayal takes on epic proportions … enemies become wary friends.”

Lewis left Billions as the show’s co-lead after season five. Lewis will appear in six of the new season’s 12 episodes. Lewis’ departure was explained by his character going on the run from legal troubles. Co-star Corey Stoll was then upped to series regular and his character took over Axe’s company.

Lewis previously suggested he left the series when his original five-season contract was up because he was a bit weary of the role. “It’s difficult to keep mining, creatively … We know who he is,” Lewis told The New York Times. “I always just assumed that [five] would be enough.” He added that the death of his wife, actress Helen McCrory, in 2021 was not a factor in the decision, but that he did want to spend more time at home in London after “we had a sadness in our family.”

Showtime recently announced it was planning to invest heavily in Billions‘ future, developing as many as four series connected to the franchise from executive producers Brian Koppelman and David Levien — potential stories include Millions and Trillions. The finance drama now ranks as Showtime’s longest-running scripted original series.

Billions also stars Paul Giamatti, Corey Stoll, Maggie Siff, David Costabile, Asia Kate Dillon, Dola Rashad, Jeffrey DeMunn, Sakina Jaffrey, Daniel Breaker and Toney Goins.