HBO Max Cancels Show After Already Renewing It for Season 2
The critically acclaimed 1970s period comedy Minx has become the latest series to get canceled months after getting renewed. Minx starred Ophelia Lovibond as a young feminist who joins forces with a magazine publisher played by New Girl alum Jake Johnson to create the first erotic magazine for women. Ellen Rapoport created the fun series, which was produced by Lionsgate Television.
Minx was renewed for a second season in May, just a few weeks after the first season ended. Season 2 was almost complete when the cast and crew learned that HBO Max was reversing the renewal decision, reports The Hollywood Reporter. Lionsgate plans to shop the series to other outlets and the entire first season will be removed from HBO Max.
"We have enjoyed a good partnership with HBO Max and are working closely to find a new opportunity for Minx, so current and new viewers can continue this journey with us," Lionsgate said in a brief statement. The studio still has two other projects in development for HBO Max. Julia, which stars Sarah Lancashire as Julia Child, is working on a second season. Love and Death, a limited series starring Elizabeth Olsen as axe murderer Candy Montgomery, will be released next year.
Minx debuted on March 17. The series also stars Michael Angarano, Jessica Lowe, Oscar Montoya, Lennon Parham, and Idara Victor. Weeds star Elizabeth Perkins was set to play a major recurring role in Season 2. Paul Feig was an executive producer of the series. The show earned critical acclaim and holds a 97% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Unfortunately, the show failed to get any awards attention and was not nominated for any Emmys.
Minx Season 2 is the latest greenlit project to be shown the exit door since Warner Bros. Discovery told investors it was trying to find $3.5 billion in cost savings after the WarnerMedia-Discovery merger was finalized in April. The cost-cutting measures have resulted in moves that have shocked television and movie fans, like the axing of the nearly-complete Batgirl movie. The company also canceled Nasim Pedrad's passion project Chad, just hours before the already-filmed second season was set to premiere on TBS. The TBS reality series The Big D was also completed and never aired. (Chad has since found a home at the Roku Channel, which will release the second season.)