Joss Whedon will no longer move forward with his own series “The Nevers” at HBO as the writer and director leaves the show amid a troubling year…
Joss Whedon is leaving the show he created for HBO.
On Wednesday it was announced that the writer and director who created the series “The Nevers” for HBO was exiting the show prior to its premiere.
Whedon’s exit comes after he’s been embroiled in controversy this year following accusations of mistreatment of the cast of “Justice League” after he took over as director when Zack Snyder was forced to step away from the project due to a personal tragedy in his own family. Actor Ray Fisher, who portrayed Cyborg in the widely panned superhero team-up film, accused Whedon “abusive, unprofessional” behavior on the set during his time as director over the movie.
Now Whedon has left “The Nevers,” which was supposed to be his return to television after the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” creator had primarily been working in film for the past few years.
“We have parted ways with Joss Whedon,” HBO said in a statement released on Wednesday. “We remain excited about the future of “The Nevers“ and look forward to its premiere in the summer of 2021.”
Whedon has remained quiet in the face of the accusations from Fisher as well as fellow co-star Jason Momoa, who defended his fellow “Justice League” actor after he first spoke out about their alleged mistreatment on set. Warner Bros. launched an investigation into the accusations but no formal announcement has been made regarding the findings.
Of course, Warner Bros. also owns HBO.
After the news broke that Whedon was leaving “The Nevers,” he issued a statement regarding his exit as well as the issues he’s dealing with personally.
“This year of unprecedented challenges has impacted my life and perspective in ways I could never have imagined, and while developing and producing ‘The Nevers’ has been a joyful experience, I realize that the level of commitment required moving forward, combined with the physical challenges of making such a huge show during a global pandemic, is more than I can handle without the work beginning to suffer,” Whedon said in a statement originally released to Cinema Blend.
“I am genuinely exhausted, and am stepping back to martial my energy towards my own life, which is also at the brink of exciting change. I am deeply proud of the work we have done; I’m grateful to all my extraordinary cast and collaborators, and to HBO for the opportunity to shape yet another strange world. “The Nevers” is a true labor of love, but after two-plus years of labor, love is about all I have to offer. It will never fade.”
First ordered to series back in 2018, “The Nevers” is a pseudo-superhero drama set in the Victoria period in England. Here’s the official synopsis from HBO:
“In the last years of Victoria’s reign, London is beset by the ‘Touched:’ people — mostly women — who suddenly manifest abnormal abilities, some charming, some very disturbing. Among them are Amalia True (Laura Donnelly), a mysterious, quick-fisted widow, and Penance Adair (Ann Skelly), a brilliant young inventor. They are the champions of this new underclass, making a home for the Touched, while fighting the forces of… well, pretty much all the forces — to make room for those whom history as we know it has no place.”
“The Nevers” is still expected to debut on HBO in the summer of 2021.
