Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Roseanne Barr has agreed in principle to walk away from the characters she helped create in order to allow Roseanne’s cast and crew to pursue a spinoff in the wake of the show’s May cancellation due to her racist tweets.
ABC and producer Carsey-Werner are insisting that Barr not participate financially or creatively in the proposed spinoff, which is said to revolve around the character played by Sara Gilbert. Other Roseanne writer-producers and castmembers, including John Goodman and Laurie Metcalf, are said to be tentatively on board (they would receive the same fees as previously negotiated for the second season of the Roseanne revival, which was ABC’s top-rated program this season).
But since Barr would be entitled to substantial fees and backend on any spinoff of Roseanne (the original series was created by Matt Williams, but it is also credited as being "based upon a character created by Barr”), she must waive those rights before any such show could proceed. With Barr having tentatively agreed to do so, now the negotiation is over what, if any, one-time payment she should receive as “go-away money,” as one source puts it.It's not clear how the "Roseanne" spin-off could continue with everyone else, but Barr. Especially since Roseanne Connor is such a powerful force within the family. I've heard one suggestion that Roseanne Connor could be killed off as a result of complications from her knee surgery. Which would certainly make it easier for Darlene to spend time with Dan and Jackie and the others without Rosie pushing her nose into everything.
Personally, I hold out hope that enough time will pass that Roseanne Barr can rehab herself and get folded back into the cast. I know that I'm a minority there. I just find the Connor family very compelling and I can't imagine the show -- or the family -- moving forward in a cohesive way without her.