Terminator Zero Canceled by Netflix Despite Season 2 Script Being Completed, Here's Why

Unpleasant news comes for you fans of the Terminator universe. The anime series TERMINATOR ZERO has been officially canceled by Netflix after only one season, despite receiving positive responses from critics and viewers. This decision was immediately confirmed by the creator, Mattson Tomlin, via social media X.

What makes it even more disappointing is that Tomlin had actually completed the entire script for Season 2 and had even prepared a grand overview for Season 3. However, in the end, the viewer numbers were deemed not strong enough to continue this project.

1. Script Season 2 Is Ready, But Viewers Are Not Coming

(credit: imdb.com/Terminator Zero)

According to Mattson Tomlin, the cancellation is not due to the quality of the story. He emphasized that the responses from critics and audiences are actually very positive. Unfortunately, the number of viewers did not meet the expectations needed to justify the high production costs.

Tomlin even revealed that Netflix was fully supportive creatively. He was given complete freedom to develop the story. However, due to the expensive production scale and the lengthy working process, this project requires much higher audience engagement to continue to the next season.

2. Netflix Once Offered Additional Episodes, But It Was Rejected

(credit: imdb.com/Terminator Zero)

Interestingly, Netflix once offered the option to create two or three additional episodes to wrap up the story. However, this offer was rejected by Tomlin because his vision was indeed designed to unfold over several seasons, not just a brief epilogue.

He mentioned that from the beginning, TERMINATOR ZERO was designed as a five-season story with an ending that he had carefully thought out since the first pitch. For him, condensing that large story into a few additional episodes would actually ruin the narrative direction that had already been established.

3. Demographic Factors Become a Major Challenge

(credit: imdb.com/Terminator Zero)

Tomlin also highlighted the possibility of a demographic mismatch. According to him, anime viewers are generally younger, while the fanbase of Terminator tends to come from an older generation.

TERMINATOR ZERO tries to bridge these two groups to meet in the middle. However, that effort has apparently not yet produced the viewing numbers needed. Nevertheless, Tomlin remains proud because he has managed to present something fresh within the universe originally created by James Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd.

(kpl/kiy)