The surprise merger of Showtime and Paramount+ has already drawn blood. Showtime’sAmerican Gigolo, starringJon Bernthal, has been canceled after one season.
Deadline reportsthatAmerican Gigolo, alongsideLet the Right One InandThree Women, are the first casualties of the two consolidating streamers, in a year that has already been a bloodbath for original series. WhileLet the Right One InandThree Womenmay find other homes, prospects are gloomier for the ill-starredAmerican Gigolo. The sex-work drama has been a troubled production from the start; the series was first greenlit in 2016, withNeil LaBute(The Company of Men,Nurse Betty) writing, but only came to fruition several years later, withRay DonovanandHeartlandproducerDavid Hollanderas showrunner. However,he was fired amidst allegations of misconductand replaced withDavid Bar Katz. Bar Katz himself departed weeks later, resulting in a two-week production shutdown whileThe Offer’sNikki ToscanoandRussell Rothberg, who had been brought in as consulting producers after Hollander’s departure, took over. As a result of the turmoil behind the scenes, the series' original ten-episode order was cut to eight; the series debuted late last year.
The series is a remiagining ofPaul Schrader’s1980 neo-noir crime dramaAmerican Gigolo, which starredRichard Gereas male escort Julian Kay, who gets caught in a deadly web of deception when he’s framed for murder; the film was a commercial success, made Gere into a star, and spawned a hit soundtrack byGiorgio Moroder, including the iconicBlondiesong “Call Me”. The series alters that premise, catching up with Julian (Bernthal) after serving a fifteen-year prison sentence for murder. Back on the streets, he tries to put his life back together and figure out who set him up.
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In addition to Bernthal, the series also starredGretchen Mol,Lizzie Brocheré,Rosie O’Donnell,Leland Orser, andWayne Brady. Reviews were mixed -in her review, Collider’sCarly Lanefound that it prioritized “lackluster crime drama and cyclical storytelling over its lead’s inherent charisma”. Schrader, who wrote and directed the original film, believed making the film into a series was “a terrible idea”, and declined to be involved with it.
American Gigolowas executive produced byJerry Bruckheimer(who also produced the 1980 film), withJonathan LittmanandKristieAnne Reed. Bernthal also produced. The series was produced by Paramount Television Studios.
Stay tuned to Collider for future updates. Check out the trailer for the series below:
