‘Minx’ Season 2 Picked Up by Starz Following HBO Max Cancellation
“Minx” is back in print. The canceled HBO Max series has been acquired by Starz, which will air its already completed Season 2 and host the first season on its streaming platform, the premium cable channel announced January 12.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining the Starz family, and for the opportunity to introduce ‘Minx’ to a brand new audience. We’ve found the perfect home,” series creator and showrunner Ellen Rapoport said in a statement. “Our writers, cast and crew have created something truly special in Season 2, and I can’t wait for everyone to see it.”
In December, HBO Max abruptly canceled “Minx,” reversing its initial Season 2 pickup in May and taking Season 1 off the streamer. Sources from Lionsgate, which produces the series and owns Starz, told IndieWire that production on Season 2 was nearly completed before the decision was made but that they hoped to shop the series to other outlets.
The “Minx” cancelation was the first in a wave of cancellations and removals of shows from the HBO Max platform in December, with “The Nevers” and “Love Life” also canned and “Westworld” and “Gordita Chronicles” taken off the service. Soon after, HBO Max owner Warner Bros. Discovery announced plans to launch a FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) channel with several of the shows removed from HBO Max, although “Minx” was not among them.
WBD made waves throughout 2022 by removing and canceling series and films from HBO Max, reportedly to take advantage of tax breaks and content write-offs, starting with the August shelving of the “Batgirl” film starring Leslie Grace. But although Starz is the hero of “Minx’s” story, the channel itself has gotten into the un-renewal and shelving game by reversing a Season 2 pickup of “Dangerous Liaisons” and removing the series from its streaming service along with “Becoming Elizabeth” and “Step Up.”
“We have always felt this show would be a perfect fit for our brand with our dedication to narratives by, about and for women,” Jeffrey Hirsch, President and CEO for Starz, said in a statement. “Starz is proud to be the new home for this incredible show that has drawn in well-deserved critical acclaim. We’re excited to welcome Ellen and the talented ‘Minx’ team to the network and can’t wait to bring its passionate fans the second season.”
“Minx” is set in Los Angeles during the ’70s and focuses on Joyce (Ophelia Lovibond), an earnest feminist activist attempting to start a magazine for women’s issues who winds up working with pornography publisher Doug Renetti (Jake Johnson) to make the first erotic magazine for women. Other cast members in the series include Idara Victor, Jessica Lowe, Oscar Montoya, Lennon Parham, and Michael Angarano. In September, the series added Elizabeth Perkins for a Season 2 recurring role.
Rapoport executive produces “Minx” with Ben Karlin, pilot director Rachel Lee Goldenberg, and Paul Feig and Dan Magnante for Feigco Entertainment. Johnson co-executive produces.
“Minx” received largely positive reviews from critics when it premiered in March 2022. In his review for the series, IndieWire critic Ben Travers gave the series a B+ rating and wrote, “After just five episodes, it’s clear ‘Minx’ has its own story to tell. As far as first impressions go, this one is fit to print.”