We recently reported that Empire was renewed for a sixth season without Jussie Smollett but it looks like that will also be the last season.
“We are turning the final season into a large TV event, we are trying to go out guns a blazing,” Fox Entertainment CEO Charlie Collier said of Season 6. “You allow fans to lean in and have the ending they deserve.”
Pre-production hasn’t started yet and the 20-episode sixth season of Empire is scheduled premiere in September.
It has been a rough year for the FOX series. Not only did Jussie Smollett’s legal circus create a big distraction, the show was facing low ratings last season.
Collier spoke to Deadline about shows with black leads on the arguably bigot network getting cut such as a Star.
“The diversity of Fox is an issue that is so important and an ongoing effort for us to make sure we’re best in class,” Collier explained. “As I was looking at Fox and joining, what’s remarkable is that the history of this company and what it’s done in terms of diversity…. If you look across our slate in terms of scripted and unscripted and sports, we really are doing a good job but the job never stops. The effort continues, it never stops.”
