Showtime Renounces Kyle Chandler Papal Drama ‘The Vatican’

Kyle Chandler may have been among the detractors of a potential 'Friday Night Lights' reunion movie, but it doesn't seem as if he'll be ascending the ranks any time soon either. Showtime has officially dropped its buzzworthy Ridley Scott papal drama, 'The Vatican,' from development, effectively ending the project.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Paul Attanasio's work on the pilot episode apparently led to multiple reshoots and ultimately his exit from the series altogether. Sources say that Attanasio frequently failed to meet deadlines and often clashed with others behind the scenes, while the pilot itself turned out below Showtime's standards.

‘The Vatican’ was to follow Chandler as Cardinal Thomas Duffy, “the charismatic yet enigmatic Archbishop of New York, whose progressive leanings excite some and alarm others within the hierarchy of the Catholic Church.” Written by Oscar-winner Attanasio and with a pilot helmed by Ridley Scott, ‘The Vatican’ was described as “a provocative contemporary genre thriller about spirituality, power and politics – set against the modern-day political machinations within the Catholic church. The series [explored] the relationships and rivalries as well as the mysteries and miracles behind one of the world’s most hidden institutions.”

In addition to 'Downfall' star Bruno Ganz's role as the Pope, 'The Vatican' cast included Ewen Bremmer ('Trainspotting’), Anna Friel, Matthew Goode (‘Watchmen’) and Sebastian Koch (‘A Good Day to Die Hard‘) as Monsignor Iemma, the Cardinal’s rebellious younger sister Kayla Duffy, Papal Secretary Bernd Koch and Cardinal Marco Malerba, respectively.

We would have liked to see such a high-profile Showtime drama for ourselves, let alone for the sought-after Chandler to find a new home, but what say you? Are you disappointed that 'The Vatican' went up in smoke?