TNT Executive Explains ‘Snowpiercer’ Showrunner Shuffle [TCA 2019]
One year ago, TNTordered a seriesbased onSnowpiercer, the French comic that was adapted into a movie by director Bong Joon-ho.Doctor StrangefilmmakerScott Derricksondirected the pilot andAvatar 2writerJosh Friedmansigned on to run the show, but just weeks later, both Derrickson and Friedmanwere out.Orphan Blackco-creatorGraeme Mansonisnow runningSnowpiercer.TNT presidentKevin Reillygave an executive session for the Television Critics Association and /Film was able to ask him to provide insight into theSnowpiercershowrunner change.“Quite often when you have a change, it signals that you didn’t necessarily buy into a vision,” Reilly explained. “We had a pilot that was really promising with some really creative people behind it. In that case, they were really a filmmaker who had not done television before. Mounting a series was a different order. Graeme has built off of the template we have with the great cast.“That answers why Derrickson left – the filmmaker has previously said he believed in the version he directed and explained that hedidn’t accept his option to direct reshoots of the pilot. (He was eventuallyreplacedbyDoctor Whodirector James Hawes.)Friedman had experience running a television show, having createdTerminator: The Sarah Connor Chroniclesseveral years ago. He took to Twitter toclap backat Manson, who never contacted Friedman after taking over his job. Friedman continued to tweet about his vision forSnowpiercer, which he didn’t want to compromise by implementing the network’s notes. “I didn’t ‘exit’ over creative differences,” he explained in a tweet. “TNT insisted that I be removed from show running duties because they didn’t think I’d be [compliant]. Hopefully they found someone more to their liking.“Snowpierceris set on a speeding train that is the last hospitable environment on a post-apocalyptic, frozen Earth. The train becomes a caste system with the poor relegated to the rear while the wealthy enjoy luxuries in the frontmost cars. Children of the poor also get periodically kidnapped to keep the train running.The movie was released in 2014 and starred Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, and Ed Harris. Jennifer Connelly, Daveed Diggs, Sheila Vand and more star as different characters on the TNT incarnation ofSnowpiercer.Snowpiercerwas on early schedules for Turner’s February TCA presentations, but there was ultimately no panel on Monday and we still have not seen any footage from the show. That alone does not spell problems – it’s still months away from airing – but Reilly acknowledged this, and confirmed the show is ready.“We were supposed to have it up here today,” Reilly said. “We’ve seen all the episodes. It’s outstanding. We’re just playing with the timing of when that premieres.“Snowpiercerwill premiere on TNT this summer.
