American channel, FX has chosen not to go ahead with its TV adaptation of Never Let Me Go.
Intended to be an adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s 2005 novel, the series was announced as in development by FX in May 2022, and was ordered to series in October. No reasoning for the decision has yet been given and it has not been divulged whether another studio will buy up the project.
The pilot for the show was written by Melissa Iqbal (The Nevers), who was meant to serve as an executive producer alongside Marc Munden, Alex Garland, Andrew Macdonald, Allon Reich, Maria Fleischer, and Ishiguro himself. The cast was set to feature Viola Prettejohn (The Witcher), along with Tracey Ullman, Kelly Macdonald, Aiysha Hart, and Spike Fearn among others.
The series would have deviated slightly from its source material and follow a rebellious teenage clone, Thora (Prettejon), as she escapes boarding school to live undercover in the real world. Whilst there, she unwittingly sets in motion a chain of events that will spark a revolution.
Never Let Me Go is one of many shows that have had series orders or renewals reversed of late, with HBO, AMC, Starz and others also guilty of pulling the plugs on certain projects. However, this isn’t the first time Never Let Me Go has been adapted for the screen. In 2010, Mark Romanek directed a film adaptation, which included stars such as Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, and Keira Knightley.
Fans of the story can pick up the novel in most bookshops and the film, which won several awards, can be streamed on Amazon Prime, Disney+, and Apple TV. You can also view the trailer below:
Words by Faye Price
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