EXCLUSIVE: Netflix has reversed its Season 2 renewal decision for The Society. The YA drama, whose production was impacted by COVID-19, has been canceled and won’t film a second season. Additionally, Netflix has opted not to proceed with a second season of another coming-of-age series, I Am Not Okay With This.
While there had been no official renewal, I hear comedy-drama I Am Not Okay With This had been quietly picked up for a second season, scripts were written, and it was fully on track to go into production.
The Society was renewed last summer for a second season, which had been slated to premiere in late 2020. I hear the delayed season had been eyeing potential start of filming next month.
According to sources, uncertainty around production dates and balancing the availabilities of a large cast like The Society, coupled with unexpected budget increases due to COVID led to the decisions on The Society and I Am Not Okay With This, which had been both well received by critics and fans and had strong support at Netflix.
“We’ve made the difficult decision not to move forward with second seasons of The Society and I Am Not Okay With This,” Netflix said in a statement to Deadline. “We’re disappointed to have to make these decisions due to circ*mstances created by COVID, and we are grateful to these creators, including: Jonathan Entwistle, Christy Hall, Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, Dan Cohen and Josh Barry at 21 Laps Entertainment for I Am Not Okay With This; Chris Keyser, Marc Webb and Pavlina Hatoupis for The Society; and all the writers, casts and crews who worked tirelessly to make these shows for our members around the world.”
This is something we will likely see more of as the months-long Hollywood shutdown due to the pandemic will create a logjam when trying to ease all series impacted by the shutdown back into production while mitigating higher production costs due to strict COVID-19 safety protocols and losses from the pandemic. Streamers and tech companies in general have been better positioned than traditional media companies in navigating the financial impact from the pandemic.
Created by Chris Keyser and starring Kathryn Newton, The Society is described as a modern take on Lord of the Flies. It follows a group of teenagers who are mysteriously transported to a facsimile of their wealthy New England town without any trace of their parents. Their newfound freedom will be fun… but it will also be very dangerous. As they struggle to figure out what has happened to them and how to get home, they must establish order and form alliances if they want to survive.
Cast includes Kathryn Newton, Gideon Adlon, Sean Berdy, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Jacques Colimon, Olivia DeJonge, Alex Fitzalan, Grace Victoria Cox, Emilio Garcia Sanchez and Olivia Nikkanen. Showrunner Keyser executive produces alongside Marc Webb.
Co-created by Jonathan Entwistle and Christy Hall based on the Charles Forsman graphic novel, I Am Not Okay With This is written by Hall and directed by Entwistle. Itis about a teenage girl navigating the trials and tribulations of high school, all the while dealing with the complexities of her family, her budding sexuality, and… mysterious superpowers just beginning to awaken from deep within her.
Entwistle and Hall executive produce with 21 Laps’ Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, Dan Cohen and Josh Barry.
