True Blood: Alan Ball To Exit As Showrunner

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If there is a sixth season – which seems likely – its creator won’t be running it

If True Blood goes to a sixth season in 2013 (which seems likely), there will be a new man in charge. HBO has announced that Alan Ball, creator of True Blood , is to quit his role as day-to-day showrunner.

HBO added: “When we extended our multi-year overall deal with Alan Ball in July 2011, we always intended that if we proceeded to True Blood ’s sixth season, Alan would take a supervisory role on the series and not be the day-to-day showrunner. If we proceed to season six, the show will remain in the very capable hands of the talented team of writers and producers who have been with the show for a number of years. This is the best possible world for both HBO and Alan Ball. Alan will remain available as executive producer to consult and advise on True Blood and he will be free to develop new shows for both HBO and Cinemax. Banshee , on which Alan serves as executive producer, is the first in house series for Cinemax and is expected to begin production this spring.”

Banshee , despite the title, apparently has no supernatural elements. TVLine also reports that Ball is also developing a medical drama about an abortion doctor for HBO.

True Blood ’s fifth season is expected to premiere on HBO in the States in June.

Dave Golder
Dave Golder
Freelance Writer

Dave is a TV and film journalist who specializes in the science fiction and fantasy genres. He's written books about film posters and post-apocalypses, alongside writing for SFX Magazine for many years.