Posted in: Preview, Showtime, TV | Tagged: american gigolo, jon bernthal, preview, showtime
American Gigolo: Showtime's Jon Bernthal-Starrer Pauses Production
Only days after Showtime and Paramount Television Studios parted ways with series' developer, writer, director & EP David Hollander following an investigation into allegations of misconduct, production on the Jon Bernthal-starring American Gigolo has been suspended for four days. With only two episodes of the 10-episode season still left the film, production was reportedly expected to continue on without delay following Hollander's ouster (with Deadline Hollywood reporting exclusively that co-executive producer David Bar Katz was expected to step in as showrunner). In addition, DH reports that the delay is also due to "an actor being temporarily unavailable" but no other details are currently known. "David Hollander is no longer on the drama series 'American Gigolo' and Paramount Television Studios no longer has a producing relationship with him," a spokesperson told DH in a statement over the weekend. Hollander's exit comes as a number of his former associates shared their past experiences working for him, with his time as executive producer on the CBS comedy series How We Roll also ending.
Showtime's series take is a present-day reimagining of the iconic film, where Bernthal's Julian Kaye is introduced to viewers 18 years after he's been arrested for murder and struggling to find his footing in the modern-day Los Angeles sex industry. Julian is seeking the truth about the set-up that sent him to prison all those years ago – and also hoping to reconnect with Michelle, his one true love. "American Gigolo comes with all the sizzle you'd expect, but it also offers a deep dive into the complicated waters of relationships and sexuality in 2020. We've assembled an 'A' team to adapt this iconic movie into a Showtime series with the talent and magnetism of Jon Bernthal, the exquisite filmmaking and showrunning of David Hollander, the legendary Jerry Bruckheimer, and our new sister studio, Paramount," said Gary Levine, President of Entertainment, Showtime Networks, when Bernthal's casting was first announced back in March 2020