TNT has canceled Snowpiercer after season 4. The post-apocalyptic dystopian thriller TV series is based on Bong Joon-ho's 2013 film of the same name, as well as Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand, and Jean-Marc Rochette's 1982 graphic novel Le Transperceneige, which inspired the movie. Snowpiercer premiered in May 2020, transporting audiences to the year 2026, where the last few remnants of humanity continually circle the frozen wasteland of a world on the eponymous luxury train. Snowpiercer stars Jennifer Connelly, Daveed Diggs, Mickey Sumner, Alison Wright, Iddo Goldberg, and Susan Park among its main cast members, with actors like Steven Ogg, Rowan Blanchard, Sean Bean, Chelsea Harris, and Archie Panjabi joining the ensemble in later seasons.
Across its three seasons, Snowpiercer has received mixed reviews from critics. Some praise the show's central sci-fi mystery and its critical reflection of classism, social inequity, and the politics of survival. Others have, however, complained about the changes it has made to its source material, and the limitations of its cable TV telecast, which restricts Snowpiercer's irreverent, anarchic strengths. Despite a lukewarm reception, the show has been popular among audiences, in part thanks to its syndicated streaming run on Netflix. For this reason, Snowpiercer was up picked for season 4 before season 3 even aired, although now it seems the upcoming iteration would be the Snowpiercer's last.
A new report by Deadline confirms that TNT has officially canceled Snowpiercer after four seasons. The news was confirmed as the cast's options came up during production on Snowpiercer season 4, which is currently underway in Canada. But TNT did not pick them up, letting the actors go to pursue other opportunities. A spokesperson for the network remarked that they are proud of what Snowpiercer achieved over the years and of the lasting impact the show will have on its genre. A release date for Snowpiercer's final season 4 hasn't still been specified.
The news comes after it was announced that TNT and TBS would bail on scripted series development under their new parent company Warner Bros. Discovery. TNT once housed a plethora of popular originals, including Claws, The Alienist, Saving Grace, Major Crimes, The Last Ship, and Falling Skies. But after the scale-back, the network is down to just two shows: Animal Kingdom, which will drop its final season 6 on Sunday, and Snowpiercer, which now has been axed. This definitely marks the end of an era for TNT as WBD evaluates the strategy for the channel moving forward.
Right now, it does not seem likely that series creators would shop Snowpiercer elsewhere in an attempt to revive the series. Of course, with its rich source material, there are still plenty of stories to pull from, but season 4 still seems like the logical ending for Snowpiercer. After season 3's cliffhanger ending, a large part of season 4 would be devoted to explaining the mysterious rocket explosion spotted by Melanie, but considering that the makers already know that season 4 will be Snowpiercer's last, they will probably use the time they have to give the series a proper ending. Season 3 just ended a few months ago, so logically a release date for Snowpiercer season 4 isn't in sight. But as long as things aren't rushed, the show can be expected to air sometime in early 2023.
Source: Deadline