Severance Season 2 Facing a Significant Delay After Showrunners' Falling Out
It looks like Apple TV's most popular show is in big trouble.
Without a doubt, Severance was the defining show of 2022, not only proving that Apple TV+ is worth the subscription fee but also providing the audience with an extremely creative storytelling, wonderful cast performances, and an impeccable atmosphere.
No wonder fans started counting down the days until the release of Season 2 as soon as the final titles rolled out. Unfortunately, it looks like the wait is going to be significantly longer than expected, and not even producer Ben Stiller can fix it.
According to some reports, the first season's co-showrunners, Mark Friedman and Dan Erickson, began to really hate each other during the production of Season 1, creating a toxic working atmosphere and simply getting on everyone's nerves. Apple managed to keep this problem under wraps, but now as Season 2 got delayed for the foreseeable future, rumors began to swirl.
It seems that Friedman tried to leave the project before production even began on the second season but was personally asked to stay by Stiller. As a result, the problems on the set continued and were then compounded by script issues and a ballooning budget.
According to a report, Stiller hired House of Cards creator Beau Willimon to fix the script for the proposed third season, but he ended up working on the script for Season 2 as well, as it was completely unfit for filming.
With all these problems, Severance's budget skyrocketed during production, with each episode apparently costing more than $20 million. If Season 2 will again consist of nine episodes, this means that the whole season will cost Apple $180 million, not including marketing, which is certainly a rather high price for a show like Severance.
Fans of the hit series are genuinely worried that Severance will fall apart in its second season, destroying the legacy left by its first installment. Let's hope the co-showrunners can work out their differences and give viewers what they really want — a compelling piece of prestige television.
Severance Season 2 release date is yet to be revealed by Apple TV+, but it looks like producers are eyeing a possible 2024 release frame.
Source: Puck News.