Amazon’s Paper Girls, an adaptation of Brian K. Vaughan (Saga, Y: The Last Man) and Cliff Chiang’s (Wonder Woman) Eisner Award-winning graphic novel series, reportedly just lost a showrunner in Stephany Folsom (Toy Story 4). On Saturday, Deadline reported that Amazon Studios and Legendary TV “opted to part ways with Folsom,” leaving Christopher C. Rogers (Halt and Catch Fire, Lodge 49) as the sci-fi series’ sole showrunner.
Along with serving as showrunner, ComicBook cites Folsom’s work as writer on Paper Girls as major factor in securing the adaptation’s straight to series order in 2019. “As huge fans of what [Vaughan] and [Chiang] created in Paper Girls, we couldn’t be more excited by the opportunity to bring this incredible adventure to life,” ComicBook referenced Folsom’s statement upon the series’ initial order. “This is a story with so much heart, and so many unique colors and dimensions — our sincere hope is not only to do justice to the source material, but to make Paper Girls unlike anything else currently on TV.”
Per the official synopsis, Paper Girls will focus on a group of brash young girls interrupted on their paper route by “a conflict between warring factions of time-travelers, sending them on an adventure through time that will save the world” (Deadline). In April, Sofia Rosinsky (Fast Layne, Faery), Riley Lai Nelet (Altered Carbon, American Housewife), Camryn Jones (Cherish the Day, Pacific Rim: The Black) and Fina Strazza (A Christmas Melody, Madame Secretary) were cast as the series four leads.
Neither Folsom, nor anyone involved in the series, has spoken further about the former showrunner’s unexpected departure from Paper Girls, but Deadline reports that “her creative stamp will remain on the project which she shepherded for more than two years.” Though no longer attached to Paper Girls, Folsom will remain at Amazon as writer and producer on Lord of the Rings, which was handed a fall 2022 release today.
Production on Amazon’s Paper Girls is still underway in the greater Chicago area, with no news yet on a release schedule from the series. Though now sole showrunner, Rogers has graphic novel creators Vaughan and Chiang aboard the series as executive producers.