A new report for Y: The Last Man offers new insight into FX and Hulu's decision to cancel the series adaptation after just one season. Brian K. Vaughn and Pia Guerra's comic book series of the same name has struggled to find a home on the screen since 2007, with multiple film adaptations falling apart before eventually coming to TV with Eliza Clark ultimately landing the role of showrunner in 2019. The casting for Y: The Last Man had begun under prior showrunners Michael Green and Aida Mashaka Croal with a star-studded roster including Diane Lane and Barry Keoghan as the titular protagonist, though the Eternals star would later be replaced Ben Schnezter.
Y: The Last Man is set in a post-apocalyptic world as a mysterious event simultaneously kills every mammal with a Y chromosome except for a man named Yorick. In the wake of the tragedy, Yorick travels across the new world with his pet monkey Ampersand, learning of the various survivors struggling with their loss and attempting to restore society and order to the world, led by the new U.S. President Jennifer Brown, who also happens to be Yorick's mother. After eight well-received episodes, FX announced that Y: The Last Man had been cancelled after just one season and now new details are arising behind the network's decision.
In a new report from The Hollywood Reporter, it's been revealed that the decision to cancel Y: The Last Man stemmed from a financial position rather than a ratings one, with the frequent creative and pandemic delays pushing the studio to extend the cast's contracts for season 1 and increasing each episode's budget to $8.5 million. The cast options were once again about to expire and, despite receiving a pitch from Clark for season 2 plans, FX elected to pass on paying another $3 million to keep the cast in limbo for a potential second chapter. Sources also confirmed that the decision was not based on viewership figures as the numbers that come from streamers is not the same as those from typical broadcasting platforms.
Though the news that Y: The Last Man would not be returning for season 2 may have disappointed many, the new report does actually hold some hope for fans of the series. Despite cancelling the show, sources report that FX Productions, who still own the rights to it, are very supportive of the producers' efforts to get it picked up elsewhere, a first for the creator-driven network. Producers are reportedly eyeing HBO Max as the new home for Y: The Last Man given the source material was published by Vertigo, the now-defunct label owned by WarnerMedia's DC Comics.
The ongoing pandemic has certainly been a nuisance on Hollywood productions and Y: The Last Man is the latest victim of the unfortunate trend as networks factor in production costs into their scheduling and budgeting. While the creator-driven nature of FX seemed like the perfect home for the series, HBO Max has proven equally as conducive for a diverse and creative environment drawing talent in for projects and could be a better financier for the post-apocalyptic drama. In the meantime, audiences can catch up on Y: The Last Man on Hulu now leading up to the final two episodes on October 25 and November 1.
Source: THR