Amazon Studios Halts Production on Key Bosch Spinoff and “Who’s the Boss?” Sequel

The J. Edgar spinoff and the highly anticipated return of Tony Danza and Alyssa Milano in “Who’s the Boss?” have both been scrapped by Amazon’s streaming platforms.

Amazon MGM Studios has decided not to move forward with the Untitled J. Edgar project, one of the anticipated Bosch spinoffs that had been in development. Simultaneously, Amazon Freevee has canceled its plans for the “Who’s the Boss?” sequel, which was set to star Tony Danza and Alyssa Milano, reprising their iconic roles from the original series.

The J. Edgar project, one of two Bosch-related spinoffs announced in February 2023, was set to follow Detective Jerry Edgar, the former partner of Harry Bosch, as he embarks on a dangerous undercover mission with the FBI in Miami’s Little Haiti. The storyline promised to explore his complex life in the glamorous yet gritty city while haunted by his mysterious past. Jamie Hector, who played Edgar in the original series, was expected to return for the spinoff.

The Bosch universe continues to expand, with another spinoff centering on Detective Renée Ballard (played by Maggie Q) already picked up for a series. This addition to the Bosch franchise follows Bosch: Legacy, which stars Titus Welliver and will wrap up with its third season, introducing Maggie Q’s character.

The J. Edgar spinoff was being developed by Larry Andries, known for his work on Blue Bloods, who had also faced serious legal trouble earlier this year when he was charged with six felony counts of sexual assault. Andries was set to executive produce alongside Michael Connelly, the author of the Harry Bosch book series.

On another front, Amazon Freevee has chosen not to proceed with the highly anticipated “Who’s the Boss?” sequel, which had been in development since 2020. The follow-up was written and executive produced by Mike Royce and Brigitte Muñoz-Liebowitz, with legendary TV producer Norman Lear attached as an executive producer.

Set 30 years after the original show, the sequel was planned to revisit Tony Micelli (played by Danza) and his daughter Samantha (played by Milano), who is now a single mother living in the family’s house. Despite being dropped by Freevee, sources indicate that the project is still alive at Sony Pictures Television, which owns the rights to the original series, though it has yet to be picked up by another platform.

With these two cancellations, Amazon is signaling a shift in its development strategy, opting to move forward with other high-priority projects. However, fans of both the Bosch and “Who’s the Boss?” franchises may still have hope for future revivals or reimaginings.