How Disney Killed the Planned Sons of Anarchy Prequel

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It’s been ten years since the popular FX series ended, and it remains incredibly influential. Its success is clear, not only because it led to a spin-off called Mayans M.C. with some returning characters, but also because plans for a third series were once in development. Unfortunately, a public disagreement between key people involved ultimately stopped that project from happening.

When Kurt Sutter created the show, he had a good working relationship with FX and was able to realize his creative vision. However, after Disney bought 20th Century Fox, which owned FX, things changed. The planned spin-off, which was meant to be a prequel, was canceled, and Sutter was ultimately fired from the network.

A Sons of Anarchy Prequel About the First 9 Was Considered but Abandoned

While the show Mayans M.C. was still in its second season, creator Kurt Sutter started developing a prequel series. Tentatively titled The First 9, the series would have explored the origins of the motorcycle club SAMCRO (Sons of Anarchy Motor Club Redwood Original) and focused on the lives of its original nine founders. It would have been set in either the 1960s or 70s.

The Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club, Redwood Original (SAMCRO), and its co-founder, Piney Winston, were key figures in the early seasons. However, the show also built compelling storylines around the other founding members of the club.

Even though characters like Keith McGee and Lenny Janowitz (who was the last man standing from the original group in the final season of Sons of Anarchy) appeared in smaller roles, their backstories feel like they could be explored in more detail.

As a fan, it’s always interesting to learn about the history of the club. There were so many other members before the show even started – guys like Wally Grazer, Uncle Tom Whitney, Chico Villanueva, and Otto Moran. And even Jax’s dad, John Teller, who originally founded the club! Sadly, all of these guys were already gone by the time the series began. We only ever heard about them in stories or saw pictures – it would have been amazing to actually see them as characters, but it never happened.

A prequel series about the First 9 motorcycle club would have been a great addition to both Sons of Anarchy and Mayans M.C., potentially explaining the origins and history of the club. Sadly, the show didn’t move beyond initial planning.

Disney Fired Kurt Sutter as Mayans M.C.’s Co-Showrunner After Season 2

The first two seasons of Mayans M.C. were well-received and attracted a good audience, suggesting a positive future for the show and a strong working relationship between Kurt Sutter and FX. However, everything changed when Disney bought 20th Century Fox. This new ownership brought in different management, and Sutter didn’t seem to align with their vision.

While Fox tolerated some of Kurt Sutter’s problematic behavior to ensure the show continued to do well, Disney wasn’t willing to do the same. After two seasons of Mayans M.C., Sutter was removed from his position as co-showrunner, leaving Elgin James—his creative partner and co-creator—to lead the series alone.

Although the situation caused a lot of debate, Kurt Sutter later said he was thankful for the experience. He explained that it forced him to reflect and improve as a person and in his career. On a podcast with his wife, Katey Sagal, hosted by Michael Rosenbaum, Sutter described it as hitting his lowest point, but ultimately a turning point.

He explained that being fired forced him to reflect on his behavior. He needed a wake-up call – a moment of realization that something was seriously wrong – so he could honestly assess his actions and identify areas where he was causing harm or being ineffective. It allowed him to ask himself what else he was doing that was damaging or unproductive.

The Proposed Sons of Anarchy Prequel Is Unlikely to See the Light of Day

Even dedicated fans of the Sons of Anarchy universe noticed a decline in quality in Mayans M.C. when Kurt Sutter stepped back. While co-showrunner Elgin James tried his best to follow Sutter’s original plans and creative direction, the show simply didn’t feel the same without his direct involvement.

Okay, so this one’s tricky. Everyone’s really divided on whether this film can bounce back and live up to its earlier promise. Honestly, the director’s sudden departure isn’t helping things – it feels like a tough climb back to greatness. And to be frank, when he left, he didn’t seem too hopeful about a comeback either. It’s a bit of a mess, and I’m not sure it fully delivers, but there are glimpses of what could have been.

Sutter recently discussed the show’s cancellation, explaining that it doesn’t seem likely to happen at this point. He clarified that the rights to the show belong to its owners, and they won’t allow him to continue its development elsewhere. While any future stories or characters he envisioned will remain unproduced for now, he didn’t rule out the possibility of them being explored again someday.

You know, it’s funny how things change. After everything that happened with the show, I honestly didn’t think Sutter would ever want to work with FX again. But he seems pretty relaxed about it now, saying things are…complicated. He’s not ruling anything out, though. He basically said that with enough time and if everyone involved could just see things differently, maybe, just maybe, they could work together again. It’s not a definite ‘yes,’ but it’s not a ‘never’ either, which is surprisingly hopeful.

Fans Continue to Speculate After Sons of Anarchy Star Teased Possible Revival

Theo Rossi, known for his role as Juice Ortiz on Sons of Anarchy, recently discussed his work at a 2023 panel focusing on the film Emily the Criminal. As expected, the conversation eventually turned to Sons of Anarchy as well.

In a recent interview with Deadline, actor Tommy Flanagan (who played Juice) hinted at a possible future reunion for the cast of Sons of Anarchy, calling it “insane.” While Season 7 appeared to conclude the stories of many characters, including his own, fans are now curious about how a reunion could happen.

A common idea is that the next installment could focus on the younger versions of characters like Teller, Thomas, and Abel. We might also see familiar faces from the original show, such as Jax and Juice, through flashbacks. However, if FX and Kurt Sutter were to work together again, it probably wouldn’t be for quite some time, as Sutter had disagreements with Netflix about creative direction.

Most of the filming for the series was already done when Sutter left, with only a few weeks of work remaining. This might mean he’ll be free to work on a possible revival of Sons of Anarchy.

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2026-05-13 03:41