“Sons of Anarchy” creator Kurt Sutter leaves Netflix show “The Abandons” weeks before wrapping filming

It looks like Kurt Sutter is fulfilling the title of his latest TV series. The Sons of Anarchy and Mayans M.C. mastermind has parted ways with The Abandons, the upcoming Netflix series he created and executive-produced, Entertainment Weekly has learned. According to Deadline Hollywood, which first reported the news, Sutter’s exit comes as the eight-episode Western drama is just weeks from wrapping production. Sutter and Netflix declined to comment. Director and executive producer Otto Bathurst and co-executive producer Rob Askins will oversee the rest of production, though no new showrunner has officially been named to replace Sutter. Deadline reports that the split stemmed from creative differences, such as Sutter and the studio clashing over the length of the show’s first episode, which the showrunner turned in at 1 hour and 40 minutes long, necessitating it being cut into two parts and filming additional scenes. The Abandons will follow settlers attempting to stake their claim in 1850s Oregon as a systemic power tries to force them out of the territory. The show stars Lena Headey, Gillian Anderson, Nick Robinson, Diana Silvers, Lamar Johnson, Natalia del Riego, Lucas Till, and many more. Sutter previously teased the series to Netflix’s Tudum. “I am fascinated by the metamorphosis of good into evil,” he said in May. “What must transpire to drive the morally sound to become the dangerously corrupt. The Abandons explores those complex compromises through the most powerful human instinct — the love and protection of mothers.” Sutter previously created and served as showrunner on Sons of Anarchy from 2008 to 2014 and on the spinoff Mayans M.C., which ran from 2018 to 2023. The writer-producer was fired by FX in 2019 and said at the time, “At least being fired for being an abrasive dick is on brand.” He added, “I deeply apologize if I’ve made people feel less than or unsupported. My intention was literally the opposite. But clearly I’ve not been paying attention. My arrogance and chronic distraction has created wreckage. Just know, I adore this cast and crew.” Later, Sutter said, “Bottom line, I created the circumstances that led to my being forced out.” He also credited Disney’s acquisition of FX as an important factor in his removal: “I overestimated my value and underestimated the unf—ability of the mouse. I feel the way they expedited and qualified the move, was unfair, but the truth is, it was not a good fit and I had to go.”