‘Divergent Series: Ascendant’ TV Adaptation In The Works With Starz, Will The Original Cast Continue ?

The Divergent Series: Ascendant has been swirling with cancellation rumors after their supposed spring 2017 premiere was indefinitely delayed. Fans can now rejoice as the next Divergent series isn’t canceled after all. Rather, it is currently being worked into a TV series on Starz.

The next Divergent movie is now being developed into a TV series according to an exclusive report by Deadline. This major title will reportedly air on the company’s new subsidiary, Starz. Original writer Adam Cozad will executive produce alongside director Lee Toland Krieger.

The Divergent Series: Ascendant was originally scheduled for a theatrical release in June 2017, but an indefinite delay was announced last year. The fourth title in the series would have squared off against a reboot of The Mummy and World War Z 2. However, the studio had to rethink its strategy considering the performance of Allegiant in the spring 2016 box office. This prompted speculations of cancellation and a TV spinoff. Later on, Lionsgate television group confirmed that The Divergent Series: Ascendant will be adapted into a standalone television series.

The initial idea of the studio is to finalize the storylines of the current cast into a TV movie, giving way to new cast members to continue the story. However, it remains unknown if this original idea will still be followed.

As such, the real challenge now is to get the original cast members, which includes Shailene Woodley, Miles Teller, and Ansel Elgort to appear in the TV series. This will give them a chance to finish their character’s storylines, which will give way to a spin-off.

Casting the original members could prove difficult, considering Shailene Woodley openly expressed her intentions in the rumored television adaptation. In an interview earlier this year, Woodley said she had no plans to appear if the Divergent Series: Ascendant movie will be turned into a TV movie. More so, Miles Teller chimed in with the same sentiment.

Meanwhile, Ansel Elgort is reportedly swamped up considering the huge success of Baby Driver earlier this summer. Considering their contracts were for feature films, the actors aren’t technically obliged to comply with the changes.

The Divergent Series is based on Veronica Roth’s best-selling series focused on a post-apocalyptic society where people are divided into factions. The story mainly follows the story of Tris Prior, who leads a rebellion against the caste system imposed by the society. The third movie Allegiant found Tris realizing that her world was just a social experiment bigger than she could ever imagine.

Stay tuned to get the latest update on the Divergent Series: Ascendant including casting news and release date.

[Featured Image by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images]