The trials and tribulations of Cookie Lyon will not be charted in a spinoff of Empire.
Variety has confirmed that FOX has nixed plans for a potential spinoff featuring Taraji P. Henson.
First announced in July when Henson signed a first-look deal, the spinoff would have been a sequel to Empire’s events, taking Cookie to Miami to start a new life.
News of the spinoff came months after FOX decided against filming the last-ever episodes of the series after it was shut down due to COVID-19.
The news was a bit of a slap in the face to fans who invested six years in the series, which was once a ratings juggernaut for the network.
At its peak, Empire scaled stratospheric heights, but the series never broke out beyond the U.S., meaning it was difficult to monetize the show internationally.
Even though ratings sagged in the final season, a Cookie-centric spinoff would have probably been a draw for some fans who bailed on the series.
While FOX has passed on the project, it is being shopped around, and Deadline is reporting that Hulu and ABC could be home to the project.
In all honesty, Empire Season 6‘s ratings would have been cancellable on ABC, so we can probably take them out of the running.
Hulu could be interested since the streamer has the second-window rights to the original.
Many variables need to be taken into consideration before any network would decide to move forward.
Empire’s end was announced shortly after the Jussie Smollett scandal, which probably contributed to losing millions of viewers.
From a creative standpoint, fans deserve closure, but the show was circling the drain with meandering plots in those final seasons.
What are your hopes for the spinoff?
Does it deserve to be picked up?
Hit the comments below.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.