Joss Whedon's return to television will have to wait a little longer as it's been announced that the writer/director has departed The Nevers, HBO's upcoming sci-fi/drama series that has been in development for several years. The series will center around a gang of Victorian women who find themselves with unusual abilities, relentless enemies, and a mission that might change the world. Joss Whedon was slated to write, direct, executive produce, and serve as showrunner on The Nevers, but he made a statement to CinemaBlend explaining why he will be departing the series.
This year of unprecedented challenges has impacted my life and perspective in ways I could never have imagined, and while developing and producing The Nevers has been a joyful experience, I realize that the level of commitment required moving forward, combined with the physical challenges of making such a huge show during a global pandemic, is more than I can handle without the work beginning to suffer. I am genuinely exhausted, and am stepping back to martial my energy towards my own life, which is also at the brink of exciting change. I am deeply proud of the work we have done; I’m grateful to all my extraordinary cast and collaborators, and to HBO for the opportunity to shape yet another strange world. The Nevers is a true labor of love, but after two plus years of labor, love is about all I have to offer. It will never fade.
In a statement to THR, HBO said, "We have parted ways with Joss Whedon. We remain excited about the future of The Nevers and look forward to its premiere in the summer of 2021." Casting on The Nevers is already set, with the series slated to be led by Laura Donnelly (Outlander), who will be playing Amalia True, "the most reckless, impulsive, emotionally damaged hero of her time. A menace to stuffy Victorian society, she would die for the cause and kill for a drink." The rest of the cast includes Olivia Williams (Dollhouse), James Norton (Grantchester), Tom Riley (Da Vinci's Demons), Ann Skelly (Death and Nightingales), Ben Chaplin (SNOWDEN), Pip Torrens (The Crown), Zackary Momoh (DOCTOR SLEEP), Amy Manson (Torchwood), Nick Frost (FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY), Rochelle Neil (TERMINATOR: DARK FATE), Eleanor Tomlinson (Poldark), and Denis O'Hare (This Is Us).