While the Teen Wolf reunion movie will see multiple Teen Wolf cast members return, Arden Cho will not be one of them due to a pay disparity. One of the most beloved supernatural teen dramas is making a comeback. While Teen Wolf ended its six-year run in 2017, it didn’t even take a decade for the creative team to revive the series. However, Teen Wolf won’t be back for a seventh season as it is instead returning in the form of a revival movie that will debut exclusively on the Paramount+ service. No premiere date has been set yet but is likely coming later this year.
The Teen Wolf movie will take place a few years after the end of the series as a new threat has been born in Beacon Hills. After a full moon rises in the little town, supernatural creatures are emerging once again, according to the Teen Wolf movie synopsis. This causes Scott McCall to have to band together with new and old allies to take on what is being teased as “the most powerful and deadlines enemy they’ve ever faced.” Teen Wolf’s lead, Tyler Posey, is set to reprise the role of Scott, as are several other original cast members, including Crystal Reed, Holland Roden, and Colton Haynes. Dylan O’Brien and Tyler Hoechlin, who portrayed Stiles Stilinksi and Derek Hale, respectively, are currently not expected to return. Hoechlin, however, is reportedly someone whose status is in flux, meaning his availability may change.
Cho, who played Kira Yukimura from Teen Wolf season 3 until season 5, was invited to join the Teen Wolf reunion film but declined the offer. However, details have emerged about what caused the actress to nix participating as Deadline revealed that it’s related to a pay disparity. Per the trade, Cho, who was the only woman of color among the other four female series regulars, was offered half the salary than her co-actresses. The report has caused strong reactions on social media, with many feeling this is disrespectful towards Cho, stating she should be paid just as much as her female co-stars.
The situation does also add some more fuel to Cho’s sudden departure ahead of Teen Wolf season 6. Despite the character not getting a conclusion in the prior season, Cho announced in a YouTube video that “unfortunately it looks like we are wrapped up with Kira’s storyline and she won’t be coming back for season 6.” Based on her statement, it didn’t sound like it was entirely her decision, which caused viewers to speculate for years about what was going on behind the scenes. With this latest situation of not returning for the Teen Wolf movie, it does raise even more questions.
This report also makes Paramount and the Teen Wolf creative team look extremely bad. Throughout Teen Wolf’s run, not many characters of color were given series regular positions, with Cho being one of the few ones. For Cho to not be offered the same amount as her white female co-stars is very problematic, as it adds to the racial problems that have existed in Hollywood for decades, where people of color often are underpaid and underrepresented. The studio may come to their senses and offer Cho the right deal, which would be great, especially since Kira’s story was never finished. With the Teen Wolf movie heading into production at some point in 2022, time will tell if Cho’s Kira will reemerge or not.
Source: Deadline