‘Nashville’ Creator & Producers On Finale: ‘We Have Stories Left To Tell’
By Nellie Andreeva
Country music drama Nashville tonight wrapped its four-season run on ABC with a finale that ended with a cliffhanger. It was an intentional move by the show’s creator Callie Khouri and lead studio Lionsgate TV as I hear that an alternative, series finale ending, also had been filmed. That is because the studio is optimistic that it would find another home for the show. (For more on that, read my finale recap.)
Neither Oscar winner Khouri nor Lionsgate are ready to close the book on Nashville, they told Deadline exclusively.
“Nashville fans are the absolute best, and support for the #BringBackNashville campaign has been amazing,” Khouri said. “We are so grateful for our extremely loyal following. We have stories left to tell and songs left to sing.”
The #BringBackNashville social media campaign has been growing, with a change.org petition garnering more than 100,000 signatures to date.
In a tweet at the conclusion of tonight’s finale, Lionsgate TV assured fans that there will be more Nashville. “#Nashies What a cliffhanger! But we won’t leave you hanging. There’s more story to be told. #BringBackNashville.”
The studio already has Season 5 mapped out, as it had funded a writers room led by new showrunners Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick, who were to succeed departing original showrunner Dee Johnson.
“Lionsgate, ABC Studios and Opry Entertainment couldn’t have asked for better partners on ‘Nashville’ than ABC, as together we created a drama that has captivated viewers worldwide and turned #Nashies into a potent group of superfans,” Lionsgate Television Chairman Kevin Beggs told Deadline. “We want to thank creator Callie Khouri and showrunner Dee Johnson for their inspiration and guidance through tonight’s exciting season finale, and know that more of the ‘Nashville’ story is waiting to be told.”
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