More and more HBO Max TV shows continue to meet the same fate as the second month of 2023 comes to an end. For all intents and purposes, The Last of Us is a smashing hit, but many shows that fail to generate buzz fall victim to Warner Bros. cost-cutting moves.
HBO Max’s reboot of True Blood is the latest one to fall. The project started development in December 2020, with Riverdale creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa pinned as the executive producer and Jami O’Brien helping out with scriptwriting duties. It was expected that the help of Alan Ball, who created the original True Blood, who came back as the executive producer, would help reignite the creative process.
But according to HBO Max CEO Casey Bloys, the series is dead because nothing met expectations.
Back in 2021, Bloys touched upon the progress made, saying that they had a writer working on the topic, but that it was at least two years away from showing on small screens. According to the latest reports, that won't be happening on HBO Max anytime soon. With fan-favorite titles like The Last of Us and House of the Dragon holding major weight at the moment, it seems that this reboot made little sense from a financial standpoint for the streaming giant.
Numbers seem to do the talking these days, and it's not looking good for the comedy series South Side. The streaming service will not renew the TV show for a fourth season, after its latest third season debuted in December to mixed reception and interest. The decision follows a slew of other recent cancellations of popular shows on the network, despite an HBO Max spokesperson acknowledging it as a "unique" and "ambitious" project.
We thank them and Michael Blieden, Tony Hernandez, the supremely talented cast and crew and our partners at MTV Entertainment Studios. For three seasons, this beloved series balanced cutting, hyperlocal social commentary about life on the South Side of Chicago with silly, sometimes zany humor. The result was a wholly unique, ambitious, and fearless comedy that could speak to everyone living the American dream.
This follows a somewhat controversial decision to renew Velma for season 2 despite fan backlash, on top of increasing the subscription price for the first time.
These two join a long list of canceled HBO Max shows including Pennyworth, Titans, and Doom Patrol. It seems that Warner Bros. has its busy schedule cut out for it, with The Flash screenings scheduled to happen at CinemaCon 2023 and Warner Bros. Discovery CEO, David Zaslav seemingly confirming Mortal Kombat 12.
