Animal Kingdom Boss Sizes Up Potential for a Deran/J Spinoff
Animal Kingdom is over, yes. But is it over and also done with? As the dust has settled in the wake of the TNT drama’s series finale (recapped in full here), quite a number of fans have found themselves hankering for a spinoff in which Jake Weary’s Deran strikes back at treacherous nephew J (Finn Cole). Could we actually get one?
“I haven’t heard anything,” showrunner Daniele Nathanson tells TVLine. “Those decisions are made above me. But I think the ending is supposed to feel like an ending.”
And that, the aptly titled “FUBAR” did, what with both of Deran’s brothers, not to mention Penny, winding up dead and Smurf’s house going up in flames. In writing the episode, the priority for Nathanson, she says, was ensuring that “we land the emotional ending of the story,” not setting up a possible next chapter.
Nevertheless, there is business that’s been left unfinished. Viewers would love to see whether and how Deran keeps his promise to a dying Craig to look after his fiancée and son. (Nathanson shares her thoughts on that topic here.) The audience is also keen on finding out whether Deran is able to track down J and exact his revenge for the epic backstab that took a fortune out of his pocket and got his siblings killed.
“Of course, you can always want to follow people,” Nathanson acknowledges. But “I don’t know how long you could continue that. It would be a different story.”
Would it be a story you’d want to watch being told? On your way to the comments, check out the above photo gallery of Animal Kingdom’s most shocking deaths.
Perhaps this is where the follow up movie idea makes sense,a movie would wrap it up or maybe a limited series though I don’t see TNT running it.That said the HBO Discovery conglomerate could put it on HBO MAX.
Kind of like Showtime did with Dexter…brought it back as a limited, one season show to ‘fix’ the original ending. (Ddin’t do such a good job of it, IMO)
I’d love to see that. I’m still irritated that they left out Adrian in Season 5 and 6. And mentioning him makes it worse. I truly believed after the scene where Craig told Deran that he was the happiest he’d ever seen Deran was with Adrian. Just to cheat us out of a reunion.
Yeh The return of Dexter did suck
I would love a spin off
This is a bad idea. Let people interpet the finale how they want. The EP said Deran/Adrian found each other. That’s fine.
But if a spinoff would revolve around the two of them working together on heists, I don’t see the point. The point of Animal Kingdom was the heists + the family drama. Where would they pull that from if Deran forgave J for everything he did? Would you have them both fighting to be with Ren?
If you did a spinoff I’d rather see it track a different family in the same time period. You can even have Pope, Smurf and the rest of the family occasionally pop as guest stars ala Better Call Saul.
Agree. As much as I LOVE AK, the ending was perfect…..at least for me. Exactly how I predicted like the movie both J & Deran surviving.
As for imagining what happened to Deran? Maybe he did get out (possibly w the help of Billy)😒 and found Adrian. Or he didn’t make it. It’s only up to us how we want to see.
Tell that to the Gay community. The ending STUNG in that regard.
I don’t give a rip what they said. There should have been an on screen reunion.
Yes!! A sequel with Jake Weary and Finn Cole!!
I would absolutely love to see more.
Absolutely would Love a spin off of Deran
and J.
And hope we don’t know if Pope actually died
It doesn’t really need it. I was a fan of the original movie before the show ever was a thing and it actually ended a bit similar to that with J and Daren being the last 2 of the brother alive but Smurf still was too as the main villain in the film was Pope who was way more evil and nonredeemable than he was on the show. The story is over and personally I’d rather for Daren to finally move on with his life and get out of it all and raise Nick in a much more normal environment with Ren and Adrian to finally break the cycle Smurf caused. Besides if anything happened it’d be on HBO Max and we all know the craziness that is happening with WBD so I highly doubt it’d ever get made anyway.
I would LOVE a spin-off even though Craig was my favorite. Six seasons of AK with the Cody’s was not enough!!!
No. J got revenge for his mother. Then what? Deran gets revenge for Pope and Craig? If Pope, Craig, & Deran had cared about their sister and J, her life might have been different as would have J’s. In the least he would have felt they cared. J had a tragic young life; his need to avenge his mom was understandable but left him even more alone. I wouldn’t want to see him OR Deran hurt more….
I would like to see more of wha happens with feren and Craigs woman and son but please don’t put it on HBO
I was really upset that J made it out of the pool and got to keep the money he stole from his uncle’s. A limited series where J gets what’s coming to him and Deran gets the money and goes and finds Adrian would be fantastic. The flashbacks also felt rushed for the end and it would be nice if we found out for sure if Baz was J’s father or not would be nice (unless I missed something because that’s what it seemed like the show was hinting at.
They weren’t hinting at it, they flat out said multiple times that Baz was J’s father. Also the entire show was about J getting revenge for his mother, so if you had been paying attention you should’ve seen all this coming.
I think the point was is that in the beginning J was all alone on that couch when is mom overdosed and at the end even though he had all that money He was still all alone… But he avenged his mother because none of them helped her and none of them helped him and even when he became part of their family they still treated on my crap. As for baz being his father I definitely think that was the case
just let it be – it is what it is and people have to learn and let go instead of giving us stuff like the return of Arrested Development.
I maybe want to see a spin-off. But it wouldn’t be the same without Craig and Pope!!!!! I thought when Smuf died it wouldn’t be the same, but it actually got better!! So……
They could do a two hour movie or a limited series.
Pope woukd not have wanted Deran to take revenge on J…he wanted it all to end, with no more killing. It’s over. 🖤
I would love to see Deran go after Jay, if not a whole series then maybe a mini series, just enough for him to find sneaky Jay, get that money back and then come back and take care of Craig’s fiance and son, the three of them together as a family
It has to go on! We have unanswered questions that truly must be dealt with.
Please!? Seriously it’s a must do
Thanks for considering, at least I pray 🙏 you are considering.
I would love a spinoff of j and Deran I want to see if deran made it and goes after j.
Yes I want to see more and more
Please please. Best show right up there with breaking bad love this show in different ways but the same as well. They had a follow up movie which was cool. I think so much did happen that it would give plenty of plots and content. A big mistake not too. Josh is amazing and deran was my favorite. Perfect because they had actually started getting along better than he has with anyone else so there is that maybe they would team back up. Hmmmm. I wouldn’t pass so please
I would love to see more but…..I’m good with the final episode being the end. I can picture J unhappily living the rest of his life and Deron (with help from Billy) making it to Renn & Nick and maybe reuniting with Adrian. I don’t need a movie or series….although I would watch if they did either!!! The series finale was pretty close to perfect and if that’s it, then that’s enough for me!!
Please no, the ending was perfect…if you miss the show and characters, re-watch it, or find a new show to love please…
The hell it was. It was great. What would have made it perfect is if Deran had reunited with Adrian.
… no more J.
… I wanted him to die in the finale most of all.
I knew Derek would make it out. He has heart and comes by it honestly. Families have this type of dynamic for ages. Yes lets see what happens but not in a limited series manner. A movie perhaps. Let the record set it straight.
Yes please, do a spin-off! You won’t regret it. It ended with so many unanswered questions. Was just a little disappointed with the finale. Would love to see more!
Bring back a spin-off of animal kingdom please
I’d watch it
Me too I need more…loved this show!!
The finale, what a complete disappointment for the ending of a great & entertaining series! I feel cheated, like I wasted my time watching the entire series. Not one liked character came out on top. Smurf was painfully annoying (both young & old versions, especially in the last season). Daren survived but barely. Craig didn’t deserve that ending and Pope’s big epiphany is that he failed his sister. All to let J escape?. Ugh. I know, not all shows can come to an end in happiness but this sucked! I’m no writer but this??? Awesome until the finale. Just my opinion.
It’s based on the movie.
Jay was always going to come out on top.
I think they should’ve at least had one of the original cast of the movie in the finale somehow.
It was an incredible piece that received so much critical acclaim and launched so many careers.
Too busy with ridiculous flashbacks imo
You are not alone. Go to any LGBTQ Chat sites or Bars you’d see that. The fact these weasels set up possible reunion during season 5 and 6 and end it the way they did was not only disappointing but smacks of Queer Baiting as well.