With the months-long WGA walkout looking set for imminent resolve, Starz is getting ahead of the inevitable post-strike culling. The network has canceled four original series — including one that had yet to even air.
On the block are wrestling drama Heels, comedy Run the World and dramedy Blindspotting, each of which recently aired its second season. Additionally, drama The Venery of Samantha Bird will not resume production after stopping, mid first season, when the WGA strike began in May.
Dropping four series at once is not a minor move for the cable network. Starz recently announced an end date for longtime hit Outlander, which will leave the channel and its sister streamer largely reliant on the enduring Power spinoffs and a handful of other programs like horror comedy Shining Vale. (Keeping with spin-offs, Starz has also greenlit a 10-episode prequel series, Outlander: Blood of My Blood from the executive producers of the original.)
The departing series had no lack of star power behind them. Heels (starring Stephen Amell) came from former Loki head writer Michael Waldron, Run the World was produced by Yvette Lee Bowser and Blindspotting counted Daveed Diggs as co-creator. The Venery of Samantha Bird was to star 13 Reasons Why alum Katherine Langford.
Though Starz did not comment on the fate of the four series, a source confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter after it first being reported by Variety.
