The core concept of theDivergentseries was straightforward. In a future beset by coalitions based upon subjective integrity, Tris discovers, to her horror, that she’s been labeled “Divergent” and will not be appropriate in an acceptable society. When she uncovers a conspiracy to annihilate all Divergents, Tris and the enigmatic ‘Four’ have to figure out what makes Divergents so hazardous before it’s too late.
It sounded like a solid enough science fiction concept – so why did it tank so drastically? Aside from fairly definitive reasons such as a departing director, unenthusiastic actors, and declining popularity within the franchise, there were other disparaging factors involved in the lastDivergentfilm’s destruction, and we’ll examine these other reasons why the lastDivergentmovie was prematurely canceled plus the possibility of its revival.
A House of Cards?
Production on thefourth and final movie,Ascendant, was scheduled for the summer of 2016, although it hit a stumbling block when director Robert Schwentke opted against returning, apparently because he needed a break after filming the prior two films back-to-back. After the departure of Schwentke altogether, the entire house of cards that was theDivergentseries collapsed.
Science fiction enthusiasts writ large saw theDivergentseries for what it was: a transparent attempt to cash in on more successful teen and tween melodrama action fantasy such as theTwilightseries alongside the immensely popularHunger Gamesfranchise. Unfortunately, it didn’t work. Shailene Woodley, the lead actress in the films, couldn’t express identification with the character, and thus even her most dangerous moments were met with more of an “ah” than an “Ah, damn!”
No One Felt Allegiance
Another bad omen ahead ofAllegiant’s release was director Robert Schwentke’s departure from the series. Having made two installments in two years, he exitedAscendantin February 2016, yetthe prodigal directornever returned. Lionsgate had a new director in place that same month, with Lee Toland Krieger lined up to take over and bring the finale out in the summer of 2017.
Related:Divergent: What The Movie Adaptations Could Have Done Better
Then,Allegiantwas released in theaters. As well as being the worst-reviewed portion of the franchise – the box office was dead on arrival. The movie only made $179 million worldwide total, not a great return compared with the declared $142 million budget. Yet the underperforming opening weekend alone was sufficient for reports about the fourth film’s premature demise to emerge the following Monday inmajor entertainment industry journals.
At this point, all was not lost, but many were gathering their coats and hats and heading for the door. The problem wasn’t the original concepts and the unique world-building of author Veronica Roth’s science fiction dystopia, but rather a twisting of the vision on how best to represent this on film.
Succumbing to the trends of the time, Summit Entertainment and Lionsgate chose to mold theDivergentliterary works into the familiar landscape of teen television, such as what Tweens would see on the CW and in such fare as theHigh School Musicalfranchise. To try to translate the Divergent books intoTwilight-lite orHunger Games-esque style films was a mistake on the part of the producers and a disservice to the fans.
Allegiant or Ascendant?
Allegiantis a science fiction novel for young adults, written by the American author Veronica Roth and published by HarperCollins in October 2013. It completes theDivergenttrilogy that Roth started with her debut novel,Divergent,in 2011. A fourth, titledAscendant, was meant to follow in the summer of 2017. Nothing materialized.
Indeed,AscendantorThe Divergent Series: Ascendantdeveloped further to ultimately become a drama series that would premiere on Starz. Set to be directed by Lee Toland Krieger and written byLegend of Tarzanscreenwriter Adam Cozad, this good idea faltered. Yet despite the third film –Allegiant– representing a series-low for both reviews and box office, there was a seemingly simple but bizarre reason why the planned finale fell apart. Summit and Lionsgate decided to turn it into a TV series, yet no previous cast members were set to return. Without a single affirmative for production, the series bubble burst.
Related:Shailene Woodley Says No to Divergent: Ascendant TV Movie
Thehostile critical reception of theDivergentseriesas a whole, with plunging reviews for each movie, also contributed to the premature end of the franchise and made the cast less enthusiastic about continuing. Will the show go on? It’s difficult to say for certain, but the series is still a viable property, and with the SAG-AFTRA/WGA strike, streaming services are on the prowl for easy productions at cheap costs. Despite all theDivergentseries had and still has going against it, don’t discount the possibility ofseeing Tris one more time.
