In November, Joss Whedon left his HBO series The Nevers, citing “the physical challenges of making such a huge show during a global pandemic.” Now,Philippa Goslett has stepped in as showrunner, according to Deadline.
The Nevers was supposed to be Joss Whedon’s return to television—his first new show since co-creating Agents of S.H.I.E.LD. First announced in 2018, the show had been chugging along into production, with the ensemble cast announced in the summer of 2019. But enthusiasm was somewhat dulled by the controversies and criticisms that have been swirling around Whedon for years. Last summer, actor Ray Fisher (Cyborg) accused Whedon of “abusive, unprofessional” behavior on the set of Justice League. Warner Media investigated the accusations and said “remedial action” was taken.
Whedon’s departure from The Nevers has not been connected to the Justice League issues, and HBO’s statement about it was vague and neutral.
The series will be Goslett’s first time serving as showrunner, but Deadline notes that she’s worked in television development for for FX, the BBC, and Channel 4. Her writing credits include the films Mary Magdalene and the adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s How to Talk to Girls at Parties, which she co-wrote with director John Cameron Mitchell.
Jane Espenson and Doug Petrie, who worked with Whedon on Buffy, are among the producers on The Nevers, and Whedon retains creator and executive producer credits. There’s no word yet on when we can expect to see the Victorian sci-fi drama on screens.
