Why Netflix’s Arcane was cancelled and won’t be getting a season 3

Arcane season 2 ending spoilers won’t be found here.

Upon its debut on Netflix in 2021, “Arcane” left fans astonished for numerous reasons. Not only did it solidify the notion that video game adaptations could be successful on-screen, but it achieved this feat by bringing to life one of the world’s most renowned gaming franchises – Riot Games’ “League of Legends.

Just as the first season demonstrated that these adaptations could be not only successful but also Emmy-worthy, Arcane left us in awe once more upon hearing that the second season would mark the end of the series. Indeed, it was unexpected.

The announcement for the resumption of “Arcane” on streaming platforms was made in June 2024, accompanied by the trailer for its second season. This was five months before the show’s anticipated return. Both critics and fans had been enamored with the first season, particularly its impressive animation created by the Paris-based studio Fortiche. Thus, the news of its delay came as a surprise.

Why Netflix's Arcane was cancelled and won't be getting a season 3

It’s not merely about Netflix deciding to cancel Arcane at its peak; it appears that the series was intended to run for only two seasons from the start.

As I chat with Variety, fellow creator Christian Linke shared that Arcane signifies the initiation of our broader narrative expedition, and our exciting collaboration with the incredibly talented animation powerhouse, Fortiche.

He went on to say: “Right from the start, as we embarked on this project, we had a particular conclusion in mind, so the saga of Arcane concludes with this second season. However, Arcane is merely the initial tale we aim to spin within Runeterra, hinting at many more stories we plan to share.

In contrast to many series that either abruptly conclude after a cliffhanger or wrap up prematurely, it’s delightful and surprising to learn that the conclusion of Arcane is the one the creators had envisioned all along – a fitting end for the audience to savor.

In a recent chat with CinemaBlend, Linke expanded on the reasoning behind this decision further, explaining that “We always had a specific story in mind.”

“You could have made it longer, perhaps, but for us, it was always envisioned as it is. I believe there’s a personal perspective as creators involved too. We’ve all watched shows where the writers seem to be running out of ideas. Maintaining inspiration for the same subject can be challenging, and we’ve been working on these characters for nine years now. There’s also a sense of responsibility, since we feel that this is what we initially planned.

He stated: “This is the tale we envisioned sharing, and it’s inappropriate to exaggerate it so much that it seems beyond our capabilities to portray it accurately. I believe this was a significant factor. Our aim is not to go overboard with it.

Why Netflix's Arcane was cancelled and won't be getting a season 3

Is Arcane getting a season 3?

While it’s heartening to know that Arcane has been planned for five seasons initially, some viewers might find this surprising due to earlier reports. You see, Variety had previously mentioned that Arcane was intended as a five-season arc. However, speculations have arisen suggesting that the high cost of each episode (totaling $250 million for production and promotion) could potentially be a factor behind its sudden conclusion.

In a recent chat with TechRadar, creators Christian Linke and Alex Yee of Arcane clarified earlier assumptions, stating that the initial concept didn’t include a span of just five seasons.

Initially, following the pilot episode, we decided that the narrative would span over two seasons. Five seasons was never our initial intention.

It appears that these rumors could have originated from a casual remark made by the former CEO of Riot Games, Nicolo Laurent.

Initially, we only aired some episodes, but we hadn’t received approval for an entire season. During this period, Nicolo playfully tricked me by leading me into a room and saying, “I know you haven’t gotten the go-ahead yet, and I’ve decided not to give it to you.” I looked quite disappointed until he continued, “But I’m actually giving you the green light for five seasons!” We both shared a laugh after that.

As a gamer, I’d put it this way: He clarified that those weren’t solid promises for five full campaigns, but more like a cheerleading pep talk instead.

“Making an animated series – it has such a long development pipeline that it was a lot for us to ask them [Riot’s executive team] to trust us with one season. But we also said ‘If you want there to be another season soon after that, we need to start working on it while we’re finishing the first one’. So, that five-season joke was their way of saying ‘Hey, we want to give you a lot of runway with this.'”

Initially, five seasons of Arcane weren’t planned, but the world presented in this series isn’t exhausted yet. Beyond the games it’s based on, Linke’s early comments when Arcane was first canceled hint at additional content yet to be revealed.

If “Arcane” is only the initial tale among several others we intend to share from Runeterra, what follows once “Arcane” concludes?

Why Netflix's Arcane was cancelled and won't be getting a season 3

It appears that, based on the success of the initial League of Legends story, there’s a strong possibility that subsequent projects will continue to be animated by Fortiche in a similar style. This way, they can consistently uphold a unified vision as this universe continues to grow and expand.

From a narrative perspective, while nothing official has been announced, there’s plenty of lore to draw from, so it’s likely that epic tales such as ‘The Harrowing Of The Shadow Isles’ and ‘The Ruined King’ will soon grace Netflix screens. Here’s hoping we won’t have to endure another three-year wait like we did for the second season of Arcane.

Arcane seasons one and two are streaming now on Netflix.

2024-11-23 13:49