Amazon Swings In To Save Fan Favorite Series After Cancellation
Amazon is increasing their library of fan-favorite content by rescuing this Showtime series from sudden cancellation.
Following news of its cancellation in January, Showtime series American Rust has found a new home. Amazon Freevee, the free ad-supported VOD streaming service formerly known as IMDb TV, has ordered a second season of the drama series. Jeff Daniels and Maura Tierney are returning to lead the cast, along with writer and executive producer Dan Futterman. Boat Rocker Studios is also producing. While no news about where the first season will be housed, it will probably be heading to Amazon as well.
Speaking about their newly acquired show, Freevee co-heads of content and programming Lauren Anderson and Ryan Pirozzi issued a statement saying that American Rust is exactly the type of gritty and engaging storytelling Amazon Freevee audiences love. “We could not be more excited to bring this prestige series to our customers, free of charge,” they said via The Hollywood Reporter. The pair added that they “can’t wait” to continue the story that intrigued audiences during the first season. They’re also excited to see the evolution of the characters so expertly portrayed by the series leads in the next chapter.
Based on the novel of the same name by Philipp Meyer, America Rust takes place in a Rust Belt town in southwest Pennsylvania. The story is told through the eyes of Police Chief Del Harris (Jeff Daniels). In the first season, Harris is tested when the son of Grace Poe, the woman he loves (played by Maura Tierney), is accused of murder. He is then forced to decide if he’s willing to risk it all to protect him. Production on the second season is scheduled to begin later this year.
Speaking about American Rust’s upcoming season, series star Jeff Daniels said he’s grateful to Amazon Freevee for giving them the chance to make another season of the show. He said the show’s premise of a struggling American small town, coupled with authentic, realistic storytelling is built for streaming. “The movies they don’t make anymore are being made as series at places like Amazon Freevee. It’s where I want to be,” the actor said via Variety.
Sharing the positive sentiments, President of Boat Rocker Studios’ scripted division Steve Lescroart said his company is delighted to work with the wonderful team at Amazon Freevee to bring American Rust back for a second season. He also praised the source material for the series, describing it as incredibly rich. And once you add the world-class talents of Dan Futterman, Jeff Daniels, Maura Tierney, and Adam Rapp to the mix, the new batch of episodes is sure to enthrall everyone who enjoys premium content. “We’re pleased to have the opportunity to continue telling this story,” he said via The Hollywood Reporter.
Interestingly, Amazon Freevee will be the third home for American Rust. In 2017, the project was given a straight-to-series order at USA Network. But it was scrapped after the studio had difficulty finding a lead actor. Showtime picked it up in 2019, with Jeff Daniels attached to star and it debuted in November 2021. Along with its lead stars, the series also features the talents of David Alvarez, Bill Camp, Julia Mayorga, Alex Neustaedter, Mark Pellegrino, and Rob Yang.
