House of Cards has been cancelled in the wake of allegations Kevin Spacey was sexually inappropriate towards a teenage Anthony Rapp.

Netflix says its political drama House of Cards will end after its upcoming sixth season, but the franchise looks set to continue without its leading man.

The Monday announcement came on the heels of a sexual abuse allegation against series star Kevin Spacey, who played protagonist Frank Underwood.

While House of Cards may be over, reports surfaced only hours after the announcement claiming Netflix was looking to launch a spinoff series. Sources confirmed to multiple outlets, including Deadline and Variety that the streaming giant was considering a House of Cards spinoff.

Actor Anthony Rapp alleged that Spacey tried to seduce him in 1986, when Rapp was a young teenager. In a statement, Spacey apologised for any "drunken" misbehaviour and also came out as gay.

However, the decision to conclude House of Cards was made several months ago, according to a person with knowledge of the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the decision.

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NETFLIX House of Cards has been cancelled as Netflix says it's "deeply troubled" by sexual assault allegations against series lead Kevin Spacey.

Netflix and the producer of House of Cards say they are "deeply troubled'' by the allegations.

In a joint statement, the streaming service and series' producer Media Rights Capital say executives from the companies met with the show's cast and crew on Monday to discuss the situation.

Spacey was not at work on the set as previously scheduled, according to the statement.

Production is underway in Baltimore, Maryland, for the show's sixth season, which Netflix said Monday will be its last.

In the joint statement, the executives say they travelled to the set to ensure that the cast and crew feel "safe and supported."

House of Cards, an Emmy winning-drama starring Spacey and Robin Wright as an Oval Office power couple, kick-started Netflix's success in producing original shows.

REUTERS Kevin Spacey at the 2017 Tony Awards.

Spinoff ideas to succeed House of Cards included a show centred on the political aide Doug Stamper, played by Michael Kelly, Variety reported. There were reportedly at least two other spinoff ideas, that had been in the works since before the allegation surfaced.

All of the spinoff shows were to be set in the House of Cards world, according to Deadline.

Spacey's response to Rapp's accusation has kicked up a backlash online and among other Hollywood figures.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Spacey, but your application to join the gay community at this time has been denied," wrote Savage Love writer and It Gets Better creator Dan Savage on Twitter.

Nope to Kevin Spacey's statement. Nope. There's no amount of drunk or closeted that excuses or explains away assaulting a 14-year-old child. — Dan Savage (@fakedansavage) October 30, 2017

Rose McGowan, a leading voice against sexual harassment in Hollywood, said of Spacey: "It's your turn to cry." Actor Zachary Quinto called it a "calculated manipulation".

Bye bye, Spacey goodbye, it’s your turn to cry, that’s why we’ve gotta say goodbye. #ROSEARMY — rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) October 30, 2017

Former House of Cards showrunner Beau Willimon says he never saw inappropriate behaviour by Spacey but called Rapp's allegation "deeply troubling."

Spacey, a two-time Oscar winner, apologised for the 31-year-old assault at a party in New York but then chose to come out of the closet, prompting many to question the timing and accusing the actor of trying to change the subject.

The two-paragraph statement - an apology in the first and a self-outing in the second - struck many as an odd time for Spacey to address his sexual orientation. Some gay rights activists say he also seemed to make a connection between being gay and sexual abuse of minors.

Among those who questioned Spacey's timing is Kate Ellis, who is the president and chief executive of GLAAD who said on Twitter: "Coming out stories should not be used to deflect from allegations of sexual assault".

"This isn't a coming out story about Spacey, but a story of survivorship by Anthony Rapp and those who speak out about unwanted sexual advances. The media and public should not gloss over that."