The Nevers has a new leader. As reported by Deadline, screenwriter Philippa Goslett will now spearhead HBO’s big sci-fi venture. The move comes on the heels of Joss Whedon‘s departure as showrunner in November. HBO granted the show a straight-to-series order in 2018.
Goslett is best known for writing the 2008 biopic Little Ashes about Spanish artist Salvador Dalí. Additional credits include How to Talk to Girls at Parties (2017) and 2018’s Mary Magdalene. Mary Magdalene starred Rooney Mara as the titular character and Joaquin Phoenix as Joseph.
According to Deadline, Whedon, who co-wrote and was slated to direct The Nevers, exited the show because of the workload. He believed the challenges were overwhelming and Whedon felt he couldn’t properly take those on “without the work beginning to suffer.” This would’ve marked Whedon’s return to television since 2009’s short-lived Dollhouse, which has since become a cult favorite.
RELATED: Joss Whedon’s HBO Victorian Series The Nevers Casts 12 Actors
Now, the upcoming HBO series follows a gang of Victorian women who discover they have “unusual abilities, relentless enemies and a mission that might change the world.”
The Nevers was co-written by Whedon, fellow Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum Jane Espenson and Doug Petrie. It stars Laura Donnelly as Amalia True, Olivia Williams as Lavinia Bidlow, James Norton as Hugo Swann, Tom Riley as Augustus “Augie” Bidlow and Ann Skelly as Penance Adair. Additionally, there’s Ben Chaplin as Det. Frank Mundi, Pip Torrens as Lord Massen, Zackary Momoh as Dr. Horatio Cousens, Amy Manson as Maladie, Nick Frost as Declan Orrun, Rochelle Neil as Annie Carbey, Eleanor Tomlinson as Mary Brighton and Denis O’Hare as Dr. Edmund Hague.
Essentially, The Nevers boasts a massive cast. Williams initially worked with Whedon on Dollhouse. The writer/director has a penchant for collaborating with the same actors for multiple projects.
While Whedon cited that his departure was due to the intimidating obstacles that come with show running, some speculate whether the accusations against Whedon from actor Ray Fisher were in play. As per Variety, Fisher said that Whedon exhibited “gross, abusive, unprofessional and completely unacceptable” behavior on the set of Justice League.
Regardless of the true reasoning behind his exit, I’m excited to see Philippa Goslett at the helm. It’s a show that centers on a group of women, so why not have a woman lead the charge? I’ve no doubt she’ll do an excellent job steering this ship.
The Nevers is purported to debut later this year on HBO.
What do you think about Philippa Goslett taking over for Joss Whedon as showrunner? Sound off in the comments below!
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
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