Netflix has pulled the plug on one of their tent-pole original series, House of Cards, after the accusations against lead star Kevin Spacey came forward on Oct. 30.
The series — which debuted its fifth season earlier this summer, has won seven Emmys and been nominated for an additional 46 — will still release the sixth season, which began shooting two weeks ago. This will, however, now be the final season of the Netflix original show.
The news comes after Star Trek: Discovery actor Anthony Rapp came forward with troubling allegations that Spacey, 26 at the time, made sexual advances towards Rapp, who was 14. Spacey later took to Twitter, saying he didn’t remember the incident and also came out as being gay.
TvLine, the first ones to break the news, is reporting that the decision to cancel House of Cards is not a direct response to the allegations, however. The decision to end the show after Season six was made months ago.
Meanwhile, House of Cards creator Beau Willimon, who left the show at the end of Season four, posted a statement on his Twitter regarding the Kevin Spacey news:
Netflix and producer Media Rights Capital also released a statement on Monday, according to Entertainment Weekly. “Media Rights Capital and Netflix are deeply troubled by last night’s news concerning Kevin Spacey,” it read. “In response to last night’s revelations, executives from both of our companies arrived in Baltimore this afternoon to meet with our cast and crew to ensure that they continue to feel safe and supported. As previously scheduled, Kevin Spacey is not working on set at this time.”
However, Deadline is reporting that Netflix is already considering the possibilities of House of Cards spinoffs, much like the many Game of Thrones prequels that are in the works, that could move forward without Spacey’s involvement. One, for example, could focus on Underwood’s right hand man Doug Stamper (Michael Kelly).
There is no set release date for the final season of House of Cards as of yet, but it will likely drop sometime during the summer of 2018.