‘Divergent’ Finale to Skip Theaters, Launch as a TV Movie and Spinoff Series (EXCLUSIVE)

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/divergent-series-ascendant-1201818694/


Brent Lang
Senior Film and Media Reporter @BrentALang

Divergent Series: Allegiant
Courtesy of Lionsgate
July 20, 2016 | 02:45PM PT

Lionsgate is planning to wrap up the “Divergent Series” with a television movie and a spinoff series, Variety has learned.

Negotiations are in the early stages, but instead of having “The Divergent Series: Ascendant” open in theaters next year, the studio wants to wrap up the film series on the small screen, according to an individual with knowledge of the situation. That would then segue into a standalone television series set in the same post-apocalyptic world.

The first two “Divergent” films were box office hits, but the most recent chapter, “Allegiant,” stumbled when it hit theaters last spring. The fourth and final film, “Ascendant,” was originally scheduled to debut in June 2017, when it would have squared off against “World War Z 2” and a reboot of “The Mummy.” The studio initially planned to start shooting this summer in Atlanta, before “Allegiant’s” box office performance caused them to rethink that strategy.


Lionsgate’s television group will handle production. The idea is to finalize the storylines involving the current cast and to introduce a new cast, who would then continue the series on either a traditional or streaming network.

The “Divergent” films focused on a futuristic society where people are broken up into social and personality-related factions. Veronica Roth authored the best-selling series that inspired the movies.

It’s not clear if stars Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Ansel Elgort, and others will return for the “Ascendant” television movie. Lee Toland Krieger (“Age of Adaline”) had been tapped to direct the film.

No deals appear to have been made, and sources say that the the studio has yet to pitch the project to networks.

Lionsgate declined to comment on this article.

Maybe they crunched the numbers and figured out the show would work but I can't say I see the logic of: Hey, we couldn’t get anyone to watch these movies so let’s see if they’ll watch a TV show linked to the movies they never watched.

Maybe they think teens are more likely to tune in than head to the theaters but I'm not seeing it.

Or even getting the cast on board. Wonder if it leaked and they had to put it out there.

I said the same thing as you. Y'all are already bleeding money, so you decide to bleed even more money by investing in a show no one asked for or wants.

I just don't see how this is good financially. Niggas don't even want anymore Hunger Games anything, so why would the failing knock off be an exception?

Divergent was barely tolerable, even factoring in that it's intended for teens. My wife will be bummed, but it's not surprising that the first movie was by far the best of the series.

It's too bad that the actually entertaining Hunger Games knockoff (Maze Runner) is being pushed back because of Dylan O Brien's injuries.

that last Maze Runner into two movies.

I think those days are over since 2016 has shown us outside Marvel, NOTHING is gaurenteed to be a hit.

The story doesn't make any sense at all and the second Maze Runner causes the first one to not make a lick of sense. I can't imagine that the 3rd one is going to have a very satisfying ending.

www.engadgethd.com - the other stuff i'm looking at

I like that they are trying to figure out a way to finish the series for the fans but adding a series seems odd, unless they are aiming low for the CW or a cable network where 2 - 5 million viewers isn't so bad.

with it.

I don't see how a TV series is a viable option.

No, we're moving to TV because we're launching a TV show! Not because it was losing money! It's film helping out the TV division! Corporate synergy!

I mean, it won't work but I could see that being the thinking the in boardroom.

somehow they are getting a 4th season outta The 100, this can't be any worse...

http://www.ew.com/article/2016/07/21/divergent-shailene-woodley-surprised-ascendant-tv-movie

Moviegoers weren’t the only ones caught off guard by the recent news that Ascendant, the final film in The Divergent Series, will likely skip theaters and go straight to the small screen.

Franchise star Shailene Woodley, who has played protagonist Tris Prior in each of the three previous installments, was apparently surprised by the change of plans, too.

According to Deadline, Woodley addressed the Ascendant shakeup on Thursday while speaking to reporters about her upcoming movie Snowden at Comic-Con. “Honestly, I was on a plane when all that happened, and I landed and I’m like, ‘Whoa, what’s going on?!’” she said. “I need to talk and find out what the details are.”

Word came Wednesday that studio Lionsgate is looking to wrap up the Divergent storyline with a TV movie in the wake of the third film, Allegiant, underperforming at the box office. It’s not yet known which cast members, if any, would return, but the finale would also set up a potential spin-off series set in the same post-apocalyptic world.

The Divergent films are based on Veronica Roth’s trilogy of YA novels about a dystopian society where people are divided into factions based on their personality types.

Too bad that fandom didn't show up for that last film.

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/lionsgate-bullish-outlook-divergent-tv-spinoff-1201830926/

Lionsgate Offers Confident Outlook for ‘Divergent’ TV Spinoff: ‘There’s a Tremendous Fandom’

Lionsgate executives are bullish on the transition of its “Divergent” movie franchise into television as a solid idea that’s already attracted a dozen potential buyers.

CEO Jon Feltheimer and TV Group Chair Kevin Beggs said Thursday that the studio is planning on a TV movie that would lead into a first season of 10 to 13 episodes, possibly followed by multiple seasons. “There’s a tremendous fandom,” Beggs added.


Variety first reported on July 20 that Lionsgate was planning to wrap up “Divergent Series” movies by ditching the fourth title — “The Divergent Series: Ascendant” — as a feature film in favor of a TV movie and standalone television series set in the same post-apocalyptic world. The third film, “The Divergent Series: Allegiant,” underperformed this spring with $66 million in domestic grosses and $113 million internationally.

“The performance of the last segment of the theatrical didn’t really create a situation where we could commit the production resources necessary to really make the production we needed,” Beggs said.

“We got excited about the possibility of what the series could look like — resolving the novel in a season across 10 to 13 episodes and then expanding from there into multiple seasons,” he added. “This is an example of what we call the virtuous cycle of content bouncing back and forth from TV and film. The economic upside on a long term series franchise is very substantial.”

No casting announcements have been made, and it’s uncertain whether lead actress Shailene Woodley will return.

Miles Teller, who has been in all three “Divergent” movies, told Variety at Wednesday night’s premiere of “War Dogs” that he has not been approached about the TV movie and was uncertain if he would participate if asked.

Feltheimer and Beggs’ comments about the future of the franchise came on the heels of Lionsgate reporting earnings and revenues for its first quarter ended June 30 that were above analysts expectations. Feltheimer said the completion of the $4.4 billion acquisition of premier cabler Starz, announced June 30, would “accelerate the growth and diversification of both companies.”