If you were looking forward to the reboot of Heathers, based on the 1988 cult classic, we have bad news. Keith Cox, president of development at Paramount Network, released a statement to The Hollywood Reporter announcing the news that the series is no longer a go. The decision was made out of respect for the string of school shootings this year, including the most recent tragedy in Santa Fe, TX.
"This was a very difficult decision. We had multiple meetings, and in the end, we didn't feel comfortable right now airing the series," Cox shared. "This is a bold move and we stand behind it." Cox went on to explain, "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. It's hitting on so many hot topics." Because of that, the network felt it would contradict their support for the survivors of the school shootings.
"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," Cox stated.
The reboot, which was set to star Shannen Doherty reprising her role as the original Heather Duke, also saw Selma Blair tapped to play a new character named Jade, Heather Duke's stepmother. There was also a trailer released in January teasing what fans could expect from the show including a genderqueer Heather and a black lesbian Heather, played by Brendan Scannell and Jasmine Mathews, respectively.
Unfortunately, we won't have the series to look forward to for now (the show is reportedly being shopped at other networks), but we'll forever have the best quotes from the original to spew at a moment's notice.
