Canceled Upgrade TV Series Sounds Too Good to Be True

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New details about a canceled Upgrade TV spin-off have surfaced—and they make the loss hurt even more.

Leigh Whannell, the filmmaker behind modern horror classics like Saw and Insidious, is no stranger to seeing his ideas grow into long-running franchises. While those worlds continue to expand, one of his most exciting projects never got the chance to evolve: a television series based on his 2018 sci-fi thriller Upgrade.

Although the Upgrade series was announced years ago, it was quietly scrapped. Now, thanks to new comments from producer Tim Walsh, fans finally know what the show would have been about—and it sounds incredible.

What the Upgrade TV Series Was Going to Be About

In a recent interview, producer and planned showrunner Tim Walsh revealed the core idea behind the canceled series. Instead of following a single character like the movie, the show would have expanded the world in a bold new direction.

The series would focus on criminals who had the STEM chip implanted into them as a form of forced rehabilitation. The concept was inspired by A Clockwork Orange, but with advanced technology controlling violent behavior.

The show would have centered on four criminal anti-heroes, exploring morality, free will, and control through the lens of futuristic technology. Unfortunately, Walsh explained that stories involving criminals, corruption, and law enforcement became unpopular at the time, which worked against the project.

Canceled Upgrade TV Series Sounds Too Good to Be True

Why the Upgrade Spin-Off Was Canceled

The Upgrade TV series was sold to Peacock in 2019, and according to Walsh, the writers’ room was already active when everything fell apart.

The project was hit by multiple problems:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic, which shut down production

  • Executive changes at Peacock, leading to the show being dropped

  • A shift in audience interest away from crime-focused stories

Despite scripts being written and plans in place, the show was never picked up again. Timing, it seems, killed what could have been a standout sci-fi series.

Why the Upgrade Universe Had So Much Potential

The original Upgrade movie starred Logan Marshall-Green as a man left paralyzed after an attack, who regains movement thanks to an experimental AI chip called STEM. What starts as a miracle quickly turns dark, as the technology takes control in disturbing ways.

The film felt like a grounded, modern version of RoboCop—less futuristic fantasy and more like a near-future reality. That realism is part of why the movie developed a cult following over time.

A TV series exploring multiple characters with the same technology could have taken the story to an entirely new level.

Leigh Whannell Is Okay With Letting Upgrade Rest

While fans are frustrated, Leigh Whannell himself isn’t upset about the project ending where it did. In fact, he appreciates that Upgrade remains a standalone cult classic.

Whannell has also pointed out how eerily accurate the film turned out to be. Concepts that once felt like pure science fiction—like autonomous cars—are now part of everyday life. Watching the real world catch up to Upgrade has been fascinating for him.

As for sequels or spin-offs, Whannell feels the story doesn’t need more chapters. He’s happy letting the film live on as a thought-provoking movie that fans continue to discuss and reinterpret.

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