The Pitch Perfect spin-off, Bumper in Berlin, is getting bumped off. According to Deadline, Peacock is not moving forward with the sophomore season of the musical comedy series. Previously, the network renewed Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin for a second season in early January. Unfortunately, Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin is another victim of the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. The fight for better representation, pay, and safety in the entertainment space is delaying productions across a broad spectrum, and Bumper in Berlin is getting swept up in the fallout.
While Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin is canceled, Universal says Pitch Perfect is still an essential part of its IP library. The franchise’s Elizabeth Banks continues developing projects with the studio, and Bumper in Berlin showrunner Megan Amram still has an overall deal with Universal Television.
Written and showrun by Megan Amram, Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin follows Devine’s character, who moves to Berlin after learning he’s a hit in the land of quality beer, lederhosen, and courageous pornography. Throughout his journey, Bumper makes new friends, acquires a new rival, and discovers that fame and fortune don’t happen without much heart and hard work.
Joining Devine in the Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin trailer are Sarah Hyland (Modern Family, Shadowhunters), Flula Borg (Saturday Night Live, The Suicide Squad), Jameela Jamil (The Good Place, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law), and Lera Abova (Anna, Good Side of a Bad Man).
“To think this journey began over 15 years ago – from the discovery of Mickey Rapkin’s book, to three incredible films, and now a television series. We could never have imagined the life that this story would take on. It was really important to us that ‘Bumper in Berlin’ be recognizable to the fans, for its irreverent comedy and phenomenal music, but also entirely distinct from what you’ve seen before. We wanted to honor The Barden Bellas and the ‘Pitch Perfect’ world, while expanding into a fresh and brilliantly weird character journey,” executive producer Elizabeth Banks said when Peacock announced the show. “This story is about second chances, friendship and the idea that your dreams can come true in unexpected ways – anywhere in the world, at any point in your life. When we brought Megan Amram on board, it was clear she shared that vision and brought the whole Berliner world and characters to life in a way that only Megan could.”
“With Bumper in Berlin, the other producers and I decided we wanted to expand the world of ‘Pitch Perfect’ into something recognizable yet unique. We wanted to keep what made the movies special but create a new world that felt completely original,” Amram remarked about bringing Bumper to the small screen.
Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin likely won’t be the only show getting canceled despite getting a second-season renewal as negotiations between the WGA, SAG-AFTRA, and AMPTP continue. With talks happening today, our fingers are officially crossed for a swift and fair resolution.