'The Wheel of Time' and 4 Other Fantasy TV Series That Were Canceled Too Soon
These projects are proof that fantasy TV shows, unless they're Game of Thrones, have a disappointingly short lifespan. Here are some of the most disappointing examples.
It was recently revealed that The Wheel of Time will not be renewed for a fourth season, which is doubly disappointing since the show had just begun to gain momentum.
In recent years, however, a show reaching its logical conclusion has been the exception rather than the rule. We decided to look back at other fantasy series whose premature cancellation broke fans' hearts.
1. 'The Wheel of Time', 2021-2025
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
Amazon Prime Video was home to two of the biggest fantasy series of our time. While production is underway on the second season of The Rings of Power, The Wheel of Time – a screen adaptation of Robert Jordan's novels – has recently returned with its third season. However, the fourth season is not destined to hit the small screen.
While The Wheel of Time was not an outstanding series, it had beautiful visuals and well-staged action scenes. The third season took the show to a new level, receiving 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, it was too late.
2. 'Kaos', 2024
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 77%
The End of the F***ing World writer Charlie Covell returned to Netflix as showrunner with Kaos. This stylish and provocative dark comedy explored topics of power, corruption, and revolution and starred the charismatic Jeff Goldblum as Zeus.
Despite the fact that the first season ended with an obvious opening for a second season, Kaos was canceled. Although it received positive reviews, the show did not meet Netflix bosses' expectations in terms of viewership.
3. 'Shadow and Bone', 2021-2023
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%
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Netflix bought the rights to Leigh Bardugo's popular fantasy book series and planned to film it as a 3-4 season series.
Shadow and Bone performed well, even taking first place among the most popular Netflix shows. However, it never reached the status of a project that everyone should know about.
Clearly, Netflix expected Shadow and Bone to be a global hit, but the show did not reach this level in two seasons, and viewers never received a third chapter.
4. 'Lockwood & Co.', 2023
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
Already a cult favorite among fantasy fans, Lockwood & Co. also fell victim to low viewership on Netflix. Despite receiving rave reviews from critics and viewers, the adaptation of Jonathan Stroud's book series did not last more than one season.
Two years have passed since the show was canceled, but dedicated fans are still petitioning for a second season.
5. 'Warrior Nun', 2020-2022
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%
In December 2022, Netflix canceled Warrior Nun, an adaptation of Ben Dunn's urban fantasy comic book series of the same name, after two seasons.
Following the cancellation, fans spent several months launching a campaign on social media to attract the attention of streaming platforms that could greenlight a sequel. After more than six months, their efforts were successful.
Showrunner Simon Barry announced that the Warrior Nun story would continue in the form of three feature films. However, there has been no news about the production of the movies since 2023.
