Netflix has stopped production on Grendel, a new comicbook adaption TV show that was midway through filming at the streaming service.
As reported by Deadline, the series was said to be based on the popular Dark Horse comicbook run of the same name by Matt Wagner and was originally announced for Netflix back in September 2021. Commissioned for an eight-episode first series, it was written and executive producer by Andrew Dabb, who recently worked on the cancelled Resident Evil show.
Grendel was set to star Abubakr Ali in the lead role, marking the first time an Arab Muslim male had led a comicbook adaptation series. The supporting cast was then filled out by Jaime Ray Newman, Julian Black Antelope, Madeline Zima, Kevin Corrigan, Emma Ho, Erik Palladino, Brittany Allen and Andy Mientus.
T3 has reached out to Netflix for comment.
Grendel would have followed masked vigilante Hunter Rose, who goes to war against the criminal underworld of New York City as he looks to avenge the death of a lost loved one. The character is also said to be a talented writer, assassin and fencer. First published in 1982, the original comicbook run was also cancelled in 1983 due to financial troubles with then publisher, Comico. It was subsequently picked up at Dark Horse.
According to the report, and comicbook writer Jay Faerber (via Twitter), filming on the show was already underway when Netflix decided to pull the plug. While the project was not finished altogether, Deadline believes the "bulk" of Grendel's eight episodes were completed. The project will now be offered to other streaming platforms as it looks to find a home
This business, man... They were in the middle of shooting their first season and Netflix just... changed their minds. Nothing had even aired yet. https://t.co/KZqJfNO7AxSeptember 27, 2022
Netflix has cancelled over 15 shows in one way or another in 2022 so far, with First Kill being one of the latest to be scrapped, less than two months after debuting. It also confirmed that The Umbrella Academy would end after the upcoming fourth season airs.
More recently, Netflix announced that it will be investing more in video games as it looks to keep subscribers from exiting. It also revealed a ton of new release dates for its best shows like The Crown, Emily in Paris and The Witcher.
