Creators announce that Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes sequel, Lazarus, is no longer happening

I’m sorry I missed this one but better late than never, right?

Fans of the site will know that I have been enthusiastically been following the development of Lazarus, the third chapter in the Life On Mars and Ashes to Ashes story, but I have some bad news for you… it’s not happening.

The hit BBC shows starred the great Phillip Glennister as 1970s police officer Gene Hunt who was boss to John Simm’s Sam Tyler in Life on Mars and then Keeley Hawes’ Alex Drake and while it was filmed as a 1970s British cop show, it was much, much more than that, tackling the issues of life, death and what happens in between… and after.

Screenwriter of Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes trilogy closer, Lazarus, offers update on show

And while we’ve been following the development of the very exciting-sounding Lazarus, we are now sad to report it’s no longer on the menu at the BBC.

The official Life on Mars/Lazarus X – formerly Twitter – page put out a statement by creators Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharoah breaking the news to fans:

This is sad news, indeed because, if nothing else, I was very excited to see just how Gene Hunt would be portrayed in the modern world, given his outlook and opinions on things, honestly, it could have been glorious. Wait… is this why it was canned? Anyway.

On a slightly brighter note, Pharoah took to socials, below, to praise the story and suggest that maybe just maybe, we’ll see it in another form.

Kickstarter graphic novel, anyone?

Here’s hoping…

Really disappointing news but we gave it a proper crack. We’re still thinking of a way to either share the script with you or bring it out in another form. Until then…

Pub?

— Ashley Pharoah (@AJPharoah) June 3, 2023

Source: Deadline