One of Apple’s first scripted shows has hit its first major snag, with the upcoming showAmazing Storieslosing its showrunner Bryan Fuller. The split was said to be amicable, due to creative differences, since Bryan Fuller wanted to make the anthology series much darker, in the same vein as Netflix’sBlack Mirror, although that was much different than Apple’s take on the series. An updated version of the original report also reveals that executive producer Hart Hanson has backed out of the show, as Apple and Universal Television begin the search for a new showrunner.
Bryan Fuller was actually attached to this series long before Apple was attached, with the writer-producer boarding this project when it was set up as ananthology seriesfor NBC in 2015. At that time, Steven Spielberg, who co-created the originalAmazing Storiesseries with Joshua Brand and John Falsey, was not attached to the series, but that all changed whenApple boarded the reboot, bringing in Spielberg along with Amblin Television’s Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank, and Hart Hanson (Bones). Apple handed out a 10-episode order for the anthology series, but there is no indication as to when production may begin, as the search for a new showrunner begins.
The original series only ran for two seasons, between 1985 and 1987, but it picked up fiveEmmy awards, largely in technical categories, but John Lithgow also won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series. The series featured appearances from a number of well-known actors such as Charles Durning,Gooniesstar Jeff Cohen, Sid Caesar, Kevin Costner, Dom DeLuise, Gregory Hines, Harvey Keitel, David Carradine, Jon Cryer and even Mark Hamill, just to name a few. The series also featured plenty of talent behind the camera, with directors Martin Scorsese, Clint Eastwood, Joe Dante, Tobe Hooper, Robert Zemeckis and many more.
While this project was the one of the first that Apple picked up, they’ve been on quite the buying frenzy as of late. In November, they picked up amorning show comedy seriesstarrring Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston, and in December, they picked up an outer space drama fromBattlestar Galacticacreator Ronald D. Moore. Last month, they also picked up a new comedy series from Kristen Wiig, which they won in a competitive bidding situation.
As for Bryan Fuller, he is currently working onThe Vampire Chroniclesfor Paramount Television, an adaptation of Anne Rice’s beloved novels. This news comes just weeks after both Bryan Fuller and Michael Green departed as showrunners on the Starz seriesAmerican Gods, after differences about the show’s budget arose. Bryan Fuller was also attached toStar Trek Discovery, but he backed away from that project to focus onAmerican Gods.The Hollywood Reporterbroke the news earlier today.
