Final "Divergent" film to skip theaters and go straight to TV
It looks like "The Divergent Series" is heading toward an inauspicious finale.
Negotiations are reportedly underway for the fourth and final film in the series -- adapted from the novels by Veronica Roth -- to skip theatrical distribution and premiere as a made-for-television movie that would lead into a TV series spinoff, according to Variety.
Filming was supposed to begin this summer in Atlanta on "The Divergent Series: Ascendant," but production has been delayed while this new approach is hammered out, sources close to the production told the publication. The film had been slated for a June 2017 release.
The move comes after the less-than-impressive returns for the series' third film, "Allegiant," which saw an opening weekend of $29 million in March, leading to a total domestic box office take of $66.1 million.
According to sources, the plan would be to rework the film to tie up the storylines of the characters in the previous entries -- led by Shailene Woodley, Theo James and Miles Teller -- while introducing new characters who would carry on into the series. However, it is unclear if any of the actors have already signed on for the final film.