The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that Amazon Studios has cancelled its F. Scott Fitzgerald series The Last Tycoon, representing the latest casualty in Amazon’s mission to change up its programming and search for its own mega-hit, akin to HBO’s Game of Thrones. The Last Tycoon is based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s unfinished novel of the same name, which explores Hollywood business in the 1930s. The series starred Matt Bomer, Lily Collins, and Kelsey Grammar.
It’s now Amazon’s latest “one-and-done” show, joining the ranks of another F. Scott Fitzgerald-related period drama that was recently cancelled, Z: The Beginning of Everything. Z, which starred Christina Ricci as Zelda Fitzgerald, was originally renewed for a second season in April, but Amazon recently went back on its decision and decided to scrap the show for good.
The Hollywood Reporter notes that these two series were especially pricey for Amazon, with the company spending approximately $7 million on pre-production alone on the second season of Z. Amazon is reportedly beginning to reevaluate its programming budget in order to clear the way for new series to draw increased viewership.
Variety reported earlier this week that Amazon CEO ordered Amazon Studios chief Roy Price to focus the company’s programming on high-end dramas with major audience appeal. Price said Amazon wants to find “big shows that can make the biggest difference around the world”, going on to cite HBO’s Game of Thrones as a major influence on the company’s decision to reevaluate its programming.
“I do think Game of Thrones is to TV as Jaws and Star Wars was to the movies of the 1970’s,” Price stated. “It’ll inspire a lot of people. Everybody wants a big hit and certainly that’s the show of the moment in terms of being a model for a hit.”
The Last Tycoon certainly won’t be the last show to see its end as a result of this mission. Amazon is expected to cancel several more series in the near future order to make even room in its programming slate for television’s next big hit.