Jon Bernthal’s Troubled Series Has Been Shut Down
The Punisher star can't be happy.
This article is more than 2 years old
After recently losing showrunner David Hollander, it looks like the Showtime and Paramount Television adaptation of American Gigolo is facing further complications. In the wake of cutting ties with Hollander, production for the Jon Bernthal-led series is being shut down for four days. Rumors from Deadline also indicate that the production could be shut down due to an actor’s availability, in addition to the change of showrunners.
Hollander was fired after allegations of misconduct were leveled against him. An investigation will look further into these allegations. Hollander is best known for his work on Ray Donovan, serving as showrunner on that show as well. The currently-delayed American Gigolo is an adaptation of the Richard Gere vehicle of the same name. The original movie featured Gere as Julian Kaye, a male prostitute that caters to an older clientele. In the movie, Kaye is framed for murder. The show will feature Jon Bernthal as Kaye 15 years after his murder arrest. It depicts Kaye’s struggle to make it in the modern LA sex industry, looking into the circumstances of his arrest, and reconnecting with Michelle, played by Gretchen Mol.
After Hollander’s departure, co-executive producer David Bar Katz is reportedly taking over showrunner duties. Hollander shot most of the first season, with there reportedly being two episodes still left to shoot. In addition to Jon Bernthal and Gretchen Mol, the cast of American Gigolo is rounded out by Rosie O’Donnell, Lizzie Brocheré, Gabriel LaBelle, Leland Orser, and Wayne Brady. As of now, it looks like American Gigolo could still be released by the end of the year, despite the shakeups and delays.
While the wait for American Gigolo goes on, Jon Bernthal can currently be seen in the HBO limited series We Own This City. We Own This City is executive produced by George Pelecanos and David Simon, best known for their work on the critically acclaimed The Wire. Like The Wire, We Own This City places a lens on corruption in Baltimore. The show is based on a book by Baltimore Sun reporter Justin Fenton who reported on the rise and fall of the Baltimore Police Department’s Gun Trace Task Force. We Own This City also stars Josh Charles, Wunmi Mosaku, and Jamie Hector. The first episode is currently available to stream. You can see a trailer for the series below.
Even though American Gigolo is having its share of trouble, Jon Berthnal has more projects lineup up for the near future. First up is Snow Ponies which tells the story of a group delivering mysterious cargo across an unforgiving land. Josh Gad, Evan Peters, and Charlie Plummer also star. Bernthal is also rumored to return for a sequel to 2016’s The Accountant. Ben Affleck is also rumored to reprise his role.
In the meantime, American Gigolo should be the next new project we see that features Jon Bernthal, barring any more significant delays. Presumably, the studios will want to keep things on track regardless of what happens. Stay tuned to GIANT FREAKIN ROBOT for more news on the American Gigolo situation as it continues to develop.
