The Orville creator Seth MacFarlane addresses why it's taking so long for Hulu to renew the show for season 4. First premiering on Fox in 2017, The Orville follows MacFarlane's Captain Ed Mercer and the crew of the U.S.S. Orville as they go on exploration missions around the galaxy 400 years in the future. The science fiction comedy series moved to the Disney-owned Hulu for season 3, but season 4 has not yet been given the green light.
In a recent tweet in response to a fan who questions why it's taking so long for The Orville season 4 to be renewed, MacFarlane offers his thoughtful take on the situation, expressing reserved hopefulness that it will eventually happen. Check out MacFarlane's tweet below:
Ultimately, MacFarlane explains, the streaming industry at large is going through some major changes at the moment. While the creator's comment does provide some hope for the show's future, it's still unclear when an official announcement regarding The Orville will actually be made.
Big Changes Are Happening In The Streaming Industry
The Orville is but one of many casualties in an industry that is currently experiencing a great deal of flux. The streaming industry grew at an incredible rate throughout the 2010s and early 2020s, but now, this growth is starting to slow. As a result, companies like Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix, Amazon, and Disney are changing the way they approach their respective streaming services.
While all of these companies continue to invest billions in content to bolster their libraries, more attention is now being paid to which investments are actually resulting in meaningful subscriber growth. The most high-profile example of a company clamping down on spending is Warner Bros. Discovery's changes to HBO Max's original content, with the Batgirl movie infamously being cancelled as a tax write-off. HBO Max continues to be the poster child of streaming industry changes, but other companies are making similar changes.
Disney CEO Bob Iger recently announced big changes for the company, essentially expressing that the company will cut costs on personnel, advertising, and "general entertainment programming" in an effort to increase efficiency. Like Disney Plus' Willow, which was just put on indefinite hold, it's not clear whether The Orville season 4 will fit into the company's larger content plans. Hopefully, those anxious for news on The Orville season 4 will get their wish soon, but, unfortunately, there's really no telling when an official announcement will be made regarding the show's future.
Source: Seth MacFarlane