Netflix's Castlevania, created by currently embroiled comics writer Warren Ellis, may continue without him after its fourth season. As part of a broader comics industry shakeup, Netflix has quietly cut out future projects from Ellis. Castlevania has seen substantial acclaim, and it was renewed for a fourth season shortly after season 3 premiered. Ellis' work on season four is already complete, and while there are currently no plans to cancel the series, any further seasons that may come will not involve him.
Based on an amalgamation of entries in the video game series, Castlevania follows the hunting of Dracula and further exploits of Trevor Belmont, the last of the monster-hunting Belmont bloodline. Its first three seasons have seen far more success than the average video game adaptation, earning praise for its complex characters, moral ambiguity, and good-old-fashioned horror violence. The series was created and written by Ellis, who previously had a successful career in the comics industry with such titles as Transmetropolitan and Red, which spawned its own film series, to his name. However, Ellis has recently become the subject of several accusations of sexual harassment and abuse, and employers have wasted no time cutting ties with him.
According to THR, Ellis has been more or less completely cut from any ongoing projects with his name on them. His work on Castlevania season 4 is complete, but THR's sources indicate he will not be back for further episodes. In addition to losing his writing position on Netflix's Castlevania, Ellis has already been removed from an upcoming slate of DC comics projects. After his public denial of the allegations on June 19th, it appears as though major publishers have decided not to side with him. That said, Ellis isn't the only creator currently being dropped from major publications. Ellis' ousting is part of a larger seismic shift in the mostly freelance comics industry highlighted in the THR story, beginning what may be a reshuffling of the system to adequately protect young writers.
There's currently no further news on the future of the Castlevania TV series. As it was renewed late this March, it's likely Ellis' work on the season was only recently completed and plans to potentially continue the series without him aren't an immediate concern during production. The series was developed by media darling Adi Shankar, whose commitment to pop culture and cult favorite "bootleg universe" has often made him the subject of ravenous fan requests. Whether he will take over entirely or hire a new lead writer remains to be seen, but the series is by no means on hold at this point.
Frankly, Shankar is more so the face of the series than Ellis, so his relatively quiet removal is likely for the best. Castlevania has a dedicated fan base, and it's hard to imagine outrage over the dismissal of a writer accused by multiple women of sexual harassment. Meanwhile, the comics industry seems eager to solve the problem of misconduct in its ranks, as overdue as it may be. Major publishers like Marvel, DC, and Dark Horse have all cracked down on the accused and pledged to develop behavioral guidelines and stricter protections for freelancers. One can only hope all of it results in a better, safer work environment for young writers throughout the entertainment industry.
Source: THR