The potential of a Roseanne spin-off, minus the embattled TV star, is one step closer to a reality, as Barr has tentatively agreed to walk away from the show and the characters she helped create.
ABC and producer Carsey-Werner have insisted that Barr not be involved creatively or financially in a spin off, despite her entitlement to fees on any spin-off of the eponymous show centered on the character she created.
The Roseanne revival was cut completely after a series of racist tweets by the actress. By her agreeing to walk away from the spin off process, the next step is negotiating ‘go-away’ payoff money with her, a source tells the Hollywood Reporter.
The new potential show is still very much in negotiations with Barr, and individual cast members.
Roseanne, minus Roseanne: A spin-off of Barr’s eponymous show is one step closer to reality as Barr has tentatively agreed to let go of its creative direction and fees she could have gotten, should the new show get off the ground
Barr tweeted earlier this month that she is ‘making restitution for the pain she has caused’ which could have signaled her walking away from any spin off of her show, after it was cancelled by ABC following a slew of bizarre racist tweets from the embattled TV star
If Barr signs off on the spin-off officially, and if ABC would even pick it up officially, the new show would in theory, center around Sara Gilbert’s character, Darlene, with both John Goodman and Laurie Metcalf also tentatively on board.
THR reports the cast is expected to receive the same per episode compensation as was previously negotiated for the axed second season of the Roseanne revival.
Gilbert, who was the reboot’s executive producer, was the force behind pushing for the killed show’s spin-off, which could potentially save not only the jobs of the cast, but also the writers and creative team who would like to remain on board.
Getting a successful spin-off would also be a boon for ABC, who is on the hook to pay cast members for the 2018-2019 season- regardless of the cancellation, with Goodman, Metcalf and Gilbert who have all exercised their options for a $300,000-an-episode salary.
Barr was widely condemned following a series of racist and offensive tweets, including comparing former Barack Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett to an ape.
She also accused 87-year-old Jewish billionaire George Soros, who survived the Nazi occupation of Hungary during World War II, of being a Nazi collaborator.
The potential new show would center around Sara Gilbert’s (left) character, Darlene, with Laurie Metcalf tentatively signed on (far right)
ABC swiftly canceled Barr’s hit show ‘Roseanne’ and slammed the comedienne’s comments as ‘abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values’.
Following the fallout, Barr apologized for the tweet about Jarrett and to her own colleagues.
This month she posted a cryptic tweet which read: ‘I’m making restitution for the pain I have caused,’ but she did not elaborate on what that might entail.
Barr has insisted she is not racist, and is now believed to be lying low at her parents’ home in Utah, where she has been pictured looking disheveled.