Shondaland Announces New ‘Bridgerton’ Spin-Off
The hit Netflix Regency-era drama, Bridgerton, is getting a spin-off about a young Queen Charlotte and will be executive produced by Shonda Rhimes. The Shondaland CEO will also write the limited series. Rhimes famously worked on popular shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and How to Get Away with Murder on ABC. Frequent Shondaland collaborators, Betsey Beers and Tom Verica will be joining her for the spin-off.
The news comes after the announcement of Bridgerton’s renewal through season four. Viewers are eager to catch a glimpse of Queen Charlotte in her rise to power, as well as her love life. The spinoff will also feature young Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) and Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh).
“As we continue to expand the world of Bridgerton, we now have the opportunity to devote even more of the Shondaland fold to the Bridgerton-verse,” Rhimes stated. “We’ve worked with Jess Brownell for over a decade and have long wanted to find the right project to place in her hands. When it came time to pass the baton, I knew this unique voice was vital to the future of the show.”
Bridgerton is an eight-book series by author Julia Quinn. Now, with over 82 million views and counting, its Netflix adaptation is the streaming platform’s most-viewed original series. As a result of the show’s popularity, there are several fan projects. Fans have created podcasts such as Bridgerton: The Official Podcast and even a TikTok musical. With such positive reception, it’s no surprise Rhimes is leading a spin-off.
This author is pleased to share the most joyous of news with you, dear readers. ❤️🐝 #Bridgerton pic.twitter.com/RvbM3reNpZ
— shondaland tv (@shondaland) April 13, 2021
Additionally, showrunner Chris Van Dusen will step down after the second season finishes production. Instead, Jess Brownell will be taking over for the third and fourth seasons. Brownell previously worked with Shondaland on Scandal and the new drama, Inventing Anna, which has yet to premiere on Netflix.
Regarding his departure, Van Dusen stated, “With Bridgerton, I set out to make the period show I always wanted to see. I never could’ve anticipated how much the rest of the world also wanted to see it. I’m deeply proud of this remarkable cast and incredible crew, and I’m so grateful for the enduring support of Shonda, who I’ve worked alongside for 17 years. Shondaland is where I learned how to make TV, craft incredibly complex characters and how to tell stories. And while it’s been an incredible journey, I have my sights set on a few new stories to tell. To that end, I’ll continue as showrunner — writing and producing season two of Bridgerton — and look forward to seeing Jess continue the magic in seasons three and four. I’d also like to thank Julia Quinn and her passionate fans — for embracing my vision for bringing these beloved books to the screen. See you in Grosvenor Square!”
The new season of Bridgerton will be based on the second book in the series, The Viscount Who Loved Me. Although the premiere date is unknown, production for season two has begun.
