Ang Lee Quits 'Tyrant' TV Pilot, Citing Exhaustion After 'Life Of Pi'

Academy Award-winning film director Ang Lee has dropped out of “Tyrant,” an upcoming TV project for FX, citing exhaustion. According to Reuters, the Taiwanese director feels burnt out after helming the Oscar-winning “Life of Pi,” and he simply couldn't “give 100 percent” to his first TV project.

Only weeks after Lee won the Best Director Academy Award for his work on “Life of Pi,” the Hollywood Reporter wrote that Lee’s next move would be directing the pilot episode of the new FX drama “Tyrant.” Lee, who is currently at the Cannes Film Festival in France, explained that he simply needed more time off before beginning another hectic project.

"It is one of the most brilliant ideas for a series that I've seen and one about which I was very excited," Lee said in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter. "However, after spending over four years making and promoting 'Life of Pi,' I have recently realized that I need some rest."

"Because I cannot give 100 percent to this exciting project at this time, I cannot allow myself to do anything that may affect the potential for this exciting new series,” he continued.

“Tyrant,” which explores the lives of an average American family drawn into a turbulent Middle Eastern nation, is still set to film this summer, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Producers Howard Gordon and Gideon Raff, who also produce Showtime’s “Homeland,” have said “Tyrant’s” production schedule will not be affected by Lee’s departure. They are reportedly already in the process of selecting a new director.