‘Westworld,’ ‘The Nevers,’ & ‘Love Life’ Yanked From HBO Max
There are more shake-ups at HBO Max as Joss Whedon‘s The Nevers and Sam Boyd‘s Love Life are set to be pulled from the streamer, along with the recently canceled HBO series Westworld.
Now fans are wondering if The Nevers, which was scheduled to air the second half of its first season on HBO in 2023, will broadcast its remaining episodes on another platform. The back half of Season 1 was completed under new showrunner Philippa Goslett, following the exit of Whedon, who left the show before it debuted in Spring 2021.
Meanwhile, the Anna Kendrick-led Love Life will have both its seasons pulled from HBO Max. The anthology rom-com series aired its first season in May 2020, with Season 2 premiering in October 2021. It marks the second Lionsgate-produced series to be canceled by HBO Max this week, as the comedy series Minx was also axed despite previously being renewed for a second season back in May.
These new cancellations come just weeks after HBO announced the end of Westworld, the dystopian sci-fi western series created by husband-and-wife producing duo Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy.
Since the Discovery and WarnerMedia merger earlier this year, CEO David Zaslav has been on a cost-cutting mission as the company set out to find $3.5 billion in savings over the next three years. This has seen several staff cuts and show cancelations, including scrapping the already-filmed Batgirl movie and dropping the TBS series Chad, despite the fact it had already completed filming Season 2.
While HBO has cut back in several areas, Zaslav has continued to state the importance of healthy content spending, and the streamer is still working on several big-budget dramas, including House of the Dragon, Euphoria, and the soon-to-be-released The Last of Us.
Reacting to the cancelations, Love Life creator Boyd wrote, “Bummed that this is now a thing that can happen! Gonna try to figure out somewhere else for it to live, so it doesn’t just **not exist anymore**, but no matter what, I’m SO proud of it and SO grateful to everyone who worked on it & everyone who watched. This show changed my life.”
Bummed that this is now a thing that can happen! Gonna try to figure out somewhere else for it to live, so it doesn’t just **not exist anymore**, but no matter what, I’m SO proud of it and SO grateful to everyone who worked on it & everyone who watched. This show changed my life. https://t.co/TjS40QNReq
— Sam Boyd (@SamFoxenBoyd) December 12, 2022
Meanwhile, creator of Minx, Ellen Rapoport, tweeted, “I am obviously disappointed that Minx (along with several other shows yet to be announced) is leaving HBO Max. I’m proud of the show we’ve made and am confident that the audience will come with us to our new home. Thank you to the best cast and crew in the business.”
I am obviously disappointed that Minx (along with several other shows yet to be announced) is leaving HBO Max. I’m proud of the show we’ve made and am confident that the audience will come with us to our new home. Thank you to the best cast and crew in the business. #minxonmax
— Ellen Rapoport (@ellenrapoport) December 12, 2022
Check out more reaction to the cancelations below.
westworld was the biggest show on HBO next to thrones and now its being swept away like it never happened. what an abysmal state of things https://t.co/uKoNqsao0Q
— zach silberberg (@zachsilberberg) December 13, 2022
heist movie except it’s real life and we’re robbing hbo’s headquarters for the masters of our fave shows they cancelled
— Kathleen Newman-Bremang (@KathleenNB) December 13, 2022
This show is wonderful. Such a bad decision to pull it. https://t.co/QY5Pddv7ww
— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) December 13, 2022
Leaked video from inside HBO Max: https://t.co/ZwQOUCRXXA
— Emily Nussbaum (@emilynussbaum) December 13, 2022
HBO has been cancelling so many good shows without even giving the proper promo. I loved this show and was looking forward to next season. Check out Season 2 if you haven’t. https://t.co/YUI99BX9qj
— Les (@JusMsLes) December 12, 2022
If you take anything from this thread, take this— even the people who make shows have no fuckin’ idea what’s gonna happen tomorrow, just like the execs who passionately fought for them for years have no idea if they’ll be employed tomorrow. That runs all the way up to the CEOs.
— Patrick Somerville (@patrickerville) December 13, 2022
