Coronavirus shutdown leads to Marvel ending TV showrunner deals

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

As the novel coronavirus continues to have negative effects on world health, the economy, and the entertainment industry (among other avenues), TV studios are being forced to rethink their plans for the future.

According to sources who spoke with The Hollywood Reporter, Marvel has reportedly terminated overall deals with showrunners Steve Lightfoot (THE PUNISHER) and Paul Zbyszewski (HELSTROM). The duo's respective projects are believed to be first on the chopping block as studios continue to contend with industry-wide production shutdown, prompting a need to reevaluate any and all endeavors in the face of repair post-coronavirus.

With regard to HELSTROM, Marvel's forthcoming Hulu live-action drama series, it's worth noting that physical production had wrapped on the project before all projects across the board screeched to a grinding halt. As THR's sources tell it, Zbyszewski will finish prost-production work on HELSTROM, which stars Tom Austen as the son of Satan, Daimon Helstrom.

The decision to dissolve Zbyszewski and Lightfoot's contracts comes as many industry analysts are anticipating studios both large and small to start enacting the force majeure clause in multiple arrangements. In short, a force majeure clause usually allows studios increased wiggle-room when faced with unforeseen circumstances, such as a global pandemic affecting the industry in ways untold. Sadly, with there being no current end in sight for how the novel coronavirus will affect the entertainment industry, studios are being forced to trim the fat, and that includes projects that could be viewed as a gamble.

We'll be sure to keep you up to date as this story develops, though suffice it to say that more projects are bound to be cancelled as Hollywood attempts to navigate choppy waters caused by the novel coronavirus.