Children of Anarchy Creator Kurt Sutter has teased his new Netflix western series The abandonment. Starring Lena Headey and Gillian Anderson, the series is also set to serve as a reunion for Sutter with his previous Children of Anarchy Castmates Michael Ornstein and Ryan Hurst. The abandonment was set to be Sutter’s first major television project after he was fired from the Children of Anarchy Spinoff series Mayans MC In 2019, served as its creator, showrunner and executive producer.
As originally reported by Term, Sutter published the work The abandonment With three weeks left before production is scheduled to wrap. While Netflix and Sutter’s responses declined to comment, sources suggest that the change was the result of creative differences that arose after the streamer saw rough cuts of the first few episodes.
Friction began when an early cut of the first episode was an hour and 40 minutes long, and after cutting it was impossible, the decision was made to split it into two episodes. This required several rewrites and reshoots, and Term‘s sources claim that the new scenes have been written, but not yet filmed. Netflix Decides on Leadership Change After Viewing Unfinished Cuts of Newly Split Episodes and Episode 3Which executives felt that they were frustrated and lacking in forward momentum. There has reportedly been no further meeting between Netflix and Sutter to address these concerns.
The report notes that although there were no major conflicts, Sutter and principal cast members experienced “Friction…over storylines, level of collaboration and communication.“ The abandonment is also over budget, Term Claims, with company-wide budget cuts having previously cut the show’s episode count from ten to seven, which the split first episode brought back to eight.
The remaining weeks of production will be overseen by executive producer and director Otto Bathurst and co-executive producer Rob Askins, though no new showrunner of The abandonment will be named. Term Speculates that the suddenness of Sutter’s departure may have been motivated by scheduling, viz The show is reportedly targeting an April 2025 release And all Netflix series need months in advance for dubbing in international markets.
What Kurt Sutter’s exit means for the Abandons
Sutter had a hard time recapturing his earlier success
Despite Children of AnarchySutter’s overwhelming popularity, Sutter faced a difficult time attempting to recapture the success enjoyed by his outlaw motorcycle gang show. In 2015, Sater’s historical drama of the 14th century The bastard executioner was canceled after only one season, and His departure from 2019 Mayans MC was reportedly due to complaints of unprofessional nature. However, Sutter would later refute the claims, insisting that the decision to remove him was primarily due to Disney’s “Inine PC restrictions.“
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When it was first announced, The abandonment Not only was it poised to provide an opportunity for Sutter to reclaim his iconic brand of gangster drama, but his new home at Netflix was a much better fit than the Disney-owned FX that he so publicly railed against. Unfortunately, however, the latest reports would likely indicate that The abandonment Will not serve as Sutter’s much-anticipated return to form. Furthermore, while the show is set to go on without him, his recent departure will also cast a cloud over the future of the show and its chances of continuing beyond its first season.
Our take on the Abandons’ future
Can Netflix’s West Survive Sutter’s Exit?
Many successful shows have managed to succeed in the wake of their original creator’s departure. Even Mayans MC Would continued for three more seasons after Sutter’s highly-publicized exit. However, Sutter and Netflix’s surprising decision to part ways The abandonment Before it’s even completed production on its inaugural season doesn’t bode well for the show’s potential longevity.
with many Children of Anarchy Fans initially excited about the prospect of Sutter putting his own spin on an American frontier tale, his decision will come as a bitter blow to those hoping to see his western show recapture the same kind of success as his flagship series.
Source: Term