Netflix may have cancelled US political drama House of Cards, but a spin-off could still be on the table.

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Nothing official has been announced, but The Hollywood Reporter and Variety have both reported the streaming service is developing “multiple spin-offs” of the series starring Kevin Spacey as ruthless politician Frank Underwood.

Ideas reportedly circulated include shows centred on Underwood’s loyal chief of staff Doug Stamper (Michael Kelly, above), and also a series based on “the journalists and bloggers who have tried to expose the power couple's criminal behaviour”. Although the shows would not involve Underwood, they would still exist in the same universe as House of Cards.

However, it's not likely Netflix will make an announcement about spin-offs at this time: the streaming service’s decision to finish the US political thriller at the end of its next season comes after a sexual assault allegation made by Star Trek: Discovery actor Anthony Rapp against House of Cards star Spacey.

Rapp, who was 14 years old at the time, claimed in an interview with Buzzfeed that Spacey laid down on top of him on a bed during a party at his apartment in 1986.

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Spacey said he was “beyond horrified” to hear Rapp’s story, but that he did not remember the incident, also choosing to come out as gay in the statement he released – a decision that has come under criticism from the LGBTQ community.

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Filming on House of Cards season six started two weeks ago, but Netflix says Spacey is not on set at the moment.

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