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Neil Jordan laments the end of 'The Borgias'

By KAREN BUTLER, United Press International
Neil Jordan arrives for the Tribeca Film Festival Premiere of "Ondine" at BMCC/TPAC in New York on April 28, 2010. UPI /Laura Cavanaugh
1 of 2 | Neil Jordan arrives for the Tribeca Film Festival Premiere of "Ondine" at BMCC/TPAC in New York on April 28, 2010. UPI /Laura Cavanaugh | License Photo

NEW YORK, July 1 (UPI) -- Northern Irish filmmaker Neil Jordan says he wasn't satisfied with the way his historical drama "The Borgias" ended its three-season run on Showtime last month.

Asked if he thought the story had reached a natural conclusion, the show's creator and producer, who also wrote and directed many of the episodes, told United Press International in a recent phone interview, "No, no, no."

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"It's not finished at all, as all the fans know," he said. "I shot the last episode of Season 3 -- it was climactic and it did bring the family to a new place -- but it didn't bring them to a conclusion. I wrote a 2-hour movie, which I wished Showtime would make, which brought every character to a satisfying conclusion, but they didn't want to make it," Jordan said. "But there are a lot of fans out there who were kind of outraged and wanted to see this story finished and I'd love to finish it."

He went on to say he has "no idea" if the show might find another home now that the premium cable network has opted not to go any further with it.

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"We really did try. We agreed to cut our fees because the actors and the producers were so anxious to make it, but it just wasn't possible with Showtime as it was at the time," Jordan said.

The show starred Jeremy Irons as Pope Alexander VI, the 16th century patriarch of the Borgia dynasty, who builds an empire by bribing, buying and muscling his way into the papacy.

Jordan's film credits include "High Spirits," "Michael Collins," "The Crying Game," "Interview with the Vampire," "The Butcher Boy," "Breakfast on Pluto" and "Ondine."

His latest movie, the vampire drama "Byzantium," is playing in select theaters. Starring Gemma Arterton, Saoirse Ronan and Jonny Lee Miller, the film is also available through video-on-demand services.

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