Patrick Hoelck/Fox(LOS ANGELES) — After renewing Empire for a sixth season late last month, Fox has now announced that the Lee Daniels’ music drama will end after that season.
“We are turning the final season into a large TV event, we are trying to go out guns a blazing,” said FOX TV executive Charlie Collier said of Empire‘s upcoming 20-episode season, according to Deadline. “You allow fans to lean in and have the ending they deserve.”
The sixth season cancellation comes after a tumultuous few months for Empire star Jussie Smollett, who claimed in January that he was the victim of a hate crime. Chicago PD concluded that Smollett had arranged and staged the attack himself, though charges against the actor were later dropped.
According to Collier, Smollett’s character hasn’t been officially written off the show.
“There’s an option to have Jussie in the series but we have no plans for that,” he said, adding that the writers’ room for Season 6 hasn’t even been opened yet.
In addition to Empire, FOX announced on Friday that it will not renew Daniels’ other music drama, Star. The series, which had its season finale on May 8th, will not return for a fourth season.
Over the weekend, Daniels confirmed Star‘s cancellation, sharing video of outtakes to lighten up the tough news.
“To our die hard @staronfox fans please know this was not of my doing,” he wrote, captioning the video. “Our cast and crew are [broken-hearted]…I have a series of bloopers that at least make this abrupt ending a little less painful … couldn’t tag everybody in this, you’ll be tagged in the next one!! Lots of Love!”
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