Altered Carbon season 3 out for Netflix’s The series of cyberpunk sci fi, which saw Marvel’s Anthony Mackie replace Joel Kinnaman, has been banished to TV, just like many other titles.
The Society, and It’s Not Okay With This were both canceled just days before this news broke. According to Netflix, both had been renewed for the second season, but COVID was to blame.
The Hollywood Reporter was told by a source that the pandemic caused unexpected budget increases, uncertainty over air dates and the difficulties of managing large casts in this climate.
However, Altered Carbon season 3 ‘s fate is not tied to coronavirus.
Deadline reports that cancellation was decided in April.
Netflix typically decides within one month whether to renew or cancel a show. This gives Netflix enough time to examine the data and determine if there is interest from its subscribers.
According to the company’s normal working process, the second season was released on February 27, 2012. It’s not a good idea to wait until August to inform fans.
Deadline emphasized “the streamer’s standard viewership and cost renewal review process” as the main reason Altered Carbon was cancelled.
At the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour in 2018, Cindy Holland, vice president of original programming at Netflix, spoke about Netflix’s approach to renewals.
“The most important thing we consider is whether we are getting enough viewers to justify the cost of the series.” She said.
“We also consider other factors, such as how loved the fan community is and how social a title. We also look at many other factors.
Holland said the same thing at an Israeli conference last year: “When investing, we decide how big to invest based upon who will be there.”
“If the audience does not show up, then we consider the reason to invest in something else that isn’t performing as well as we had hoped.”
She said, “Obviously, critical praise is important too. But we’re really trying to stretch out our investment dollars as much as possible and make good on investors’ money – that’s theirs not ours.”
It is well-known that Altered Carbon was a complex show that relied heavily on visual and special effects.
Some reports had previously estimated it at $7 million per episode. This figure will increase over time as everything does. Joel Kinnaman previously stated that the budget was larger than for the first three seasons of Game of Thrones (via The Guardian).
Although it may have received healthy ratings (Netflix is notorious for keeping such information secretive and only opens that lid when it reflects well upon the company), season one did not make the streaming service’s top ten most watched shows of 2018.
With the high costs, it would have been reasonable to expect, but not hope, for continued investment in Altered carbon.
Also, it is important to note that Netflix’s whole strategy is designed to bring in new subscribers each month. To do that, they offer a series of buzzy titles that get people talking.
Netflix is now more focused on original content than ever, despite losing Friends as well as the Office to rival platforms.
It’s a matter of “out with the old and into the new”, especially considering Netflix’s cost-plus model. This means that Netflix pays 30%+ of total production costs.
According to Wall Street’s forecast, the entertainment giant could invest more than $17billion in content this year. However, the Altered Carbon cancelation shows that the streaming company won’t give up on any show that fails to meet its targets.
Richard K Morgan, the author and illustrator of the novel upon which it is based, had previously stated The Guardian the plan was for five seasons. Alison Schapker, executive producer, discussed the “extensive blueprint” in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
She said that Laeta Kalogridis, the creator, was already planning season two when she brought me onboard. “The idea was to make an anthology series, but with a lot of continuity. It would also reward viewers season by season. Takeshi Kovacs was the inspiration.
It is highly unlikely that any other streaming platform or broadcaster will take it up.
Deadline In 2019, it was reported that Netflix has a clause that prohibits cancelled shows from being found other homes for “a significant period of [two to three years]”, which would severely impact any series’ momentum.
There’s also the financial burden that comes with this project. While Amazon and Apple might be able to balance it, many others wouldn’t.
Despite all the social media noise about its cancellation, including the cancellation of a show featuring such a diverse cast member, the odds seem to be stacked against Alternated Carbon.
