Joss Whedon has departed 'The Nevers', a series for HBO which was set to be his big return to TV after the ill-fated 'Dollhouse'.
Whedon is the mind behind 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer', 'Angel', 'Firefly', 'Marvel's The Avengers' and more.
He was set to write, direct, exec produce and serve as showrunner on 'The Nevers'.
The series is a sci-fi drama. It follows "a gang of Victorian women who find themselves with unusual abilities, relentless enemies, and a mission that might change the world."
Laura Donnelly ('Outlander') heads the show. The cast also includes Olivia Williams, James Norton, Tom Riley, Ann Skelly, Ben Chaplin, Pip Torrens, Zackary Momoh, Amy Manson, Nick Frost, Rochelle Neil, Eleanor Tomlinson and Denis O'Hare.
The release date for 'The Nevers' has not changed following Whedon's departure.
HBO said in a statement: "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."
Whedon also released a statement (via Cinemablend).
It reads: "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."
