Blumhouse’s Cancelled TV Spinoff Of Sci-Fi Cult Classic Was Originally Like Stanley Kubrick’s 10/10 Masterpiece

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The television series never launched, but its creator, Tim Walsh, has shared that it was inspired by a famous film from Stanley Kubrick. The 2018 cyber thriller, directed by Leigh Whannell, gained a dedicated following, and plans for a follow-up movie ultimately shifted to developing a TV show instead.

Last year, Leigh Whannell announced the project was cancelled. Now, writer, showrunner, and executive producer Brendan Walsh explains to Bloody Disgusting why it didn’t move forward. According to Walsh, a new leader at Peacock decided to stop the series.

Leigh and I sold that show to Peacock in 2019. I actually started working with the writers on my show, Upgrade, right when the pandemic began. We had a full writer’s room and finished the scripts, but then someone in charge at Peacock was replaced. The new person decided to go in a different direction and cancelled the project. Because of everything going on in the world at the time, it never got picked up again.

I was really excited about where they were going with the ‘Upgrade’ story! The first movie starred Logan Marshall-Green as a guy who gets this incredible chip implanted after a terrible attack, and it basically gave him amazing control over his body. The creator, Leigh Whannell, had said that if they continued the story, it wouldn’t just be a continuation of the first guy’s journey – they were planning to introduce a whole new person with an even more advanced version of the STEM chip. It felt like there was so much potential!

Walsh recently discussed the planned storyline for the Upgrade series, explaining that it would have focused heavily on the psychological impact of the events in the movie. He also mentioned that Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange was a major inspiration for the show’s direction.

The show centered around criminals who received a ‘STEM’ chip as part of a rehabilitation program. It was similar to the film A Clockwork Orange, but instead of aversion therapy, they used this STEM technology. The series followed four flawed protagonists – criminals – at a time when audiences weren’t really interested in stories focusing on crime or law enforcement, and unfortunately, my pitch for the show wasn’t successful.

Upgrade was a significant project for Leigh Whannell, who first gained recognition as the co-creator of the Saw films with James Wan in the early 2000s. The 2018 movie, produced by Blumhouse, was made for just $3 million, but became a big hit, earning $16.7 million around the world.

Leigh Whannell’s film received widespread acclaim. With an 88% approval rating from both critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, it was particularly praised for its immersive world and creative action. Though not originally intended to launch a series, the film’s success led to discussions about a sequel.

While a follow-up to Upgrade isn’t currently in the works, Leigh Whannell directed the successful 2021 film The Invisible Man. His latest project was Blumhouse’s Wolf Man (2025), but unfortunately, it didn’t resonate with critics or audiences despite featuring a classic Universal monster.

What Leigh Whannell will do next is unknown, but in June 2022, Deadline reported he was a possible director for Universal’s The Green Hornet and Kato. While David Koepp wrote the script and Universal seemed eager to move forward quickly, there hasn’t been any significant news about the film in over three years.

Leigh Whannell’s film Upgrade appeared to be the start of a new and exciting sci-fi thriller series, but recent statements from a studio executive show that even good ideas can be cancelled. While it’s unclear if the project might find a home on another streaming service, Whannell’s 2018 movie will likely continue to be a popular, beloved film from Blumhouse.

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2026-02-01 19:42