The Paramount Network has announced that it will not air the small-screen adaptation of the 1988 film Heathers. The network’s decision comes nearly two months after it pushed back the premiere date for the series.
It was initially scheduled to debut on March 7th, but the premiere was delayed due to the high school shooting in Parkland, Florida. A second attempt to reschedule the first episode for July was thwarted by the recent shooting at a Santa Fe, Texas high school. Ultimately, given the content of the series – the first season concluded with the high school blowing up – Paramount Network decided to scrap the reboot entirely.
The comedy features a group of new Heathers, who have the same character names from the original film, but this time, the outcasts are the ones who have become high school royalty.
Shannon Doherty’s original character Heather Duke will be played by male actor Brendan Scannell, a character who identifies as gender-queer; Heather McNamara (originally played by Lisanne Falk in the film) is now a black lesbian played by Jasmine Mathews; and Heather Chandler (originally Kim Walker in the movie) will be played by Melanie Field. James Scully and Grace Victoria Cox will play J.D. and Veronica, the roles originally played by Christian Slater and Winona Ryder. Shannon Doherty has a role in the pilot as well.
Production on the 10-episode first season has long been completed and a writers room was opened months ago and has nearly completed work on a second season which is tied to the first but set in a new location.
Keith Cox, The Paramount Network’s president of development and production, said he is not scrapping the series. Instead he’s working to shop it to anothere ntwork. It means the show is not necessarily dead, but is in limbo.
> Mar MartÃnez
'Heathers' Reboot Won't Move Forward at Paramount Network
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