Why ABC didn't make the 'Agents of SHIELD' spinoff

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ABC entertainment president Paul Lee ultimately decided not to move forward with the network’s planned Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. spinoff because new additions to S.H.I.E.L.D.‘s second season—who would have been the spinoff’s focus—have arguably helped the Marvel series hit its “creative stride.”

The project was set to star Adrianne Palicki and Nick Blood, who play the formerly married duo Agent Bobbi Morse and mercenary Lance Hunter. The spinoff was rumored to be born out of events that happen on the flagship series, which saw Morse kidnapped by Ward (Brett Dalton) during this season’s penultimate episode. But following the announcement of the spinoff’s development, many vocal fans questioned why the flagship series would give up two characters that have contributed to S.H.I.E.L.D.’s creative turnaround in the second season.

“We absolutely love those characters on S.H.I.E.L.D. We think S.H.I.E.L.D. hit its creative stride this year,” Lee told reporters ahead of the network’s upfronts presentation on Tuesday. He is, however, still leaving the door open for a spinoff in the future. “We thought the right thing now is to leave them on S.H.I.E.L.D., because S.H.I.E.L.D. is so strong on the moment.”

In other news, Lee confirmed, as EW first reported, that a John Ridley Marvel project is indeed in development, but kept mum on exactly what it entails. The project involves an existing Marvel character or property.

The two-hour season finale of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. airs Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.