Jerrold Tarog is no longer involved in ABS-CBN’s Darna television series due to “scheduling conflicts,” the director announced yesterday on Twitter.
Read: Newbie actress Jane de Leon is new Darna
However, Tarog said that “some doors remain open regarding my future involvement in the Ravelo universe.” He also asked fans to support the lead actress, Jane de Leon, and ABS-CBN.
Unfortunately, I’m not going to be involved in the TV series due to scheduling conflicts. But some doors remain open regarding my future involvement in the Ravelo universe. We will see. For now, I wish ABS-CBN & @Imjanedeleon all the best. Let’s continue to support them. https://t.co/3uwBCH4KR1
— Jerrold Tarog (@JerroldTarog) January 13, 2021
In a follow-up tweet, a fan asked the director of Goyo: The Boy General if it was still possible for a movie to be made, but Tarog said the decision is “up to the studio.”
Sana. That’s up to the studio. 🙂 https://t.co/7DBX5XFeeL
— Jerrold Tarog (@JerroldTarog) January 14, 2021
Tarog’s departure is just the latest in a series of setbacks that the project has suffered. He was hired to replace Erik Matti in October 2018 after the latter left due to creative differences with ABS-CBN’s film company Star Cinema. Then COVID-19 struck in 2020 and the Philippines was placed under lockdown just after Tarog shot about 40 minutes of the movie. Because of the pandemic, the movie evolved into a television series, with De Leon still at the helm, but it remains to be seen when it will be released.
De Leon, a relative newcomer, was hired to replace Liza Soberano and Angel Locsin after the two actresses were injured. Locsin had already starred in a Darna television series sometime in the aughts. Aside from her, the character had been played by veteran actress and politician Vilma Santos, former actor and now philanthropist Nanette Medved, and Anjanette Abayari.
Darna is one of the most iconic Filipino comic book characters. Introduced by Mars Ravelo in 1950, she’s the local version of Wonder Woman, and playing her in a movie or TV series is considered a career milestone.
