It will be some time before the full truth of 'Glee' star Cory Monteith's untimely death this weekend comes to light, but the conversation will soon turn to talk of 'Glee' season 5 production, which had been scheduled to begin next week. It remains to be seen how the cast and creative team will approach the tricky subject of Finn Hudson's absence, given the first two episodes of season 5 were written to reincorporate the actor into the show.

According to Deadline, 'Glee' season 5 had intended to start production next week, in advance of an early Sep. 19 premiere. Written before the hiatus, the first two scripts involved Monteith's Finn heavily, as the actor sat out the final episodes of season 4 to complete an unexpected stint in rehab.

Moreover, production had intended to begin shooting the first of several episodes to air before FOX’s annual post-season baseball interferes with the primetime schedule. Series creator Ryan Murphy has issued no public statements on either Monteith's death or the future of 'Glee,' which had previously been renewed for two seasons, though producers issued the below statement following the tragic news:

We are deeply saddened by this tragic news. Cory was an exceptional talent and an even more exceptional person. He was a true joy to work with and we will all miss him tremendously. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones.

Certainly, Ryan Murphy has made a habit of incorporating real-world headlines into many of his series, and 'Glee' would not seem the kind of show that could simply gloss over, or write around Monteith's death. More information will emerge as the world continues mourning for the 31-year-old star, and further details of his death arrive.

'Glee' season 5 had already been in for major cast changes, as longtime series stars Heather Morris, Mark Salling, Amber Riley and Harry Shum, Jr. stepped down as regulars, while Melissa Benoist (Marley), Jacob Artist (Jake), Becca Tobin (Kitty) and ‘The Glee Project‘ alumni Blake Jenner and Alex Newell were promoted as such. 'American Idol' runner-up Adam Lambert was announced to join the cast, but it remains to be seen in what role or for how long.

We'll keep an ear out for the latest as we process the impact of Cory Monteith's death, but what do you think? Should 'Glee' pick up production to write out the character this fall?

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