The Heathers TV series has been dropped by Paramount Network.
Network president of development Keith Cox announced that the show has been cancelled citing “challenging subjects” including gun violence — as being potentially insensitive following recent school shooting in Santa Fe, Texas last month where 10 people died and 13 more were injured.
“This was a very difficult decision. We had multiple meetings, and in the end, we didn’t feel comfortable right now airing the series and I’m not sure when there might be a time that we as a youthful brand at Viacom would feel comfortable,” Cox told THR. “This is a bold move and we stand behind it.”
The show’s – based on the 1998 film starring Winona Ryder and Shannen Doherty – premiere was originally pushed back from March to this summer after the Parkland shooting, but has been dropped completely by Paramount now.
“This is a high school show, we’re blowing up the school, there are guns in the school, it’s a satire and there are moments of teachers having guns,” Cox continued. “It’s hitting on so many hot topics. This company can’t be speaking out of both sides of its mouth, saying the youth movement is important for us and we’ve done all these wonderful things to support that and at the same time, we’re putting on a show that we’re not comfortable with.”
Heathers is now being shopped around at different networks.
