Jussie Smollett Fallout Addles Actor’s ‘Empire’ Future; Series Renewal Looks Likely

Fox may be “gratified” that all criminal charges against Jussie Smollett have been dropped, but there are some hard choices coming for the broadcaster now regarding the fate of Empire.

Fueled by ongoing outrage from outgoing Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and others, the growing blast radius from the controversial decision yesterday by state prosecutors finds the home of Empire in a tricky position over what to do with the series and one of its stars.

It’s a position that seems headed towards Empire coming back for another season, but most likely without Smollett, who has always claimed and continues to insist that he is innocent.

“Things are so unclear and there is a feeling that this isn’t over, that there’s more to come,” said an insider of the actor’s legal circumstances and ramifications for Empire. Coming off the close of the $71.3 billion Disney deal and a self-described fresh start on March 20, the new Fox Entertainment now run by Charlie Collier is looking at public opinion and some hard upcoming deadlines that along with Windy City politics may force its hand.

For one thing, while the 16 felony charges (and potentially years behind bars) Smollett faced for allegedly staging a racist and homophobic attack on himself on January 29 are now gone and the case sealed, the actor is still being investigated in a federal probe over a potentially self-penned, hate-filled letter that arrived on the Empire set earlier this year.

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is working closely with our law enforcement partners on this investigation,” the USPS said Wednesday about the case, which could see Smollett face 5-20 years in jail. “We are unable to provide any additional comment at this time.”

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https://deadline.com/2019/03/jussie-smollett-empire-future-series-renewal-criminal-charges-dropped-fox-1202583688/