‘Deal or No Deal Island’: Meet the Cast & Get Inside Scoop From Host Joe Manganiello (PHOTOS)

“The bones of Deal or No Deal are there, so fans of the original game will be happy,” promises Joe Manganiello (True Blood, Magic Mike), who hosts this juiced-up, island-centric version of the game show.

Yes, the briefcases containing big bucks are back—but with Fear Factor and Big Brother on the résumés of the creative team, expect a very different spin on the 2005–09 NBC hit hosted by Howie Mandel (now an executive producer).

The Deal or No Deal Island cast, which includes Survivor‘s “Boston” Rob Mariano and former Deal or No Deal briefcase model Claudia Jordan, plus models Ben Crofchick and Kamari Love as the Banker’s Assistants — hired to keep a watchful eye on the valuable briefcases hidden throughout the island and assisting with the cases in each pivotal game of Deal or No Deal.

Here, Manganiello shares more intel on Deal or No Deal Island, premiering Monday, February 26 at 9:30/8:30c on NBC.

Since this update doesn’t take place in a studio like the original, what’s the premise?

Joe Manganiello: Thirteen contestants are dropped onto an [undisclosed] jungle island. There’s an excursion in every episode where the contestants duke it out for cases worth millions and millions of dollars that are hidden all over this island. [In one example], out in the water, there are briefcases connected to dynamite!

Have any prizes been added to the cases, or are they still strictly cash?

It’s all about cash. And when I say cash, I mean obscene amounts of money! [The briefcases are worth over $200 million in prize money split between them.]

How do the cases work?

The lowest-value cases put people up for elimination. The highest-value cases give people the power to choose who faces the Banker in a game of “Deal or No Deal” in a temple.

Tell us about the new Banker.

He’s on his yacht in the bay observing these sick and twisted games. So it’s kind of the depraved billionaire searching for his equal amongst these competitors who have been lured onto his island.

What are the 13 contestants like?

[They’re from] every walk of life. And the personal stories are at times uplifting and at times heartbreaking. But there’s also a clear-cut villain right out of the gate that I was shocked about. The social experiment is what always fascinated me about Survivor, and that is very much in play.

Any hosting advice from Howie?

We shot a promo where Howie passes me the torch—or briefcase, if you will—but no advice. We’ve known each other a long time, and it was like, out of everybody on the planet, out of all the gin joints, here I’m the one who’s taking it over. We had a good laugh about it.

Deal or No Deal Island, Premieres Monday, February 26, 9:30/8:30c, NBC