'Ozark' Canceled: Why Season 5 Isn't Happening
Unfortunately, for Ozark fans, there won't be a Season 5 for the series. Season 4 will be the last for the Netflix show. Years before the final episodes aired, Netflix stated that Ozark would end after four seasons.
In June 2020, it was reported that Ozark would end with Season 4. At the time, it was announced that Season 4 would be broken up into two installments with seven episodes each. Showrunner Chris Mundy released a statement in which he expressed his gratitude to Netflix for letting them end the series on their own terms. "We're so happy Netflix recognized the importance of giving Ozark more time to end the Byrdes saga right," Mundy said. "It's been such a great adventure for all of us — both on-screen and off — so we're thrilled to get the chance to bring it home in the most fulfilling way possible."
Cindy Holland, the former VP of Netflix's Original Content, commented on the news and praised the Ozark team for producing several seasons' worth of thrilling television. Her statement began, "Ozark is a gripping drama that has captivated audiences all around the world and garnered tremendous critical acclaim." Holland continued, "We're so grateful to Chris, Jason, Laura, Julia and the entire cast and crew for all their tireless dedication to the show and can't wait to see how the Byrdes' journey comes to a close."
Even though it was reported that Ozark would be ending, that didn't mean that the decision was any less heartbreaking to fans of the show. Naturally, many wanted to know why the show would be ending with Season 4. During an interview with Collider, star and executive producer Jason Bateman explained that they did not want to reach the dreaded point of "jumping the shark." He added, "So, given the intelligence of Marty Byrde and Wendy Byrde (Laura Linney), if they keep going at this pitch for much longer, they're either going to be killed or put in jail. The alternative is to flatten out that pitch so that you don't end up jumping the shark, but then you start stalling just for additional episodes and season."
The first half of Ozark's Season 4 premiered on Netflix in January. The second half followed a couple of months later in April. In addition to Bateman, Ozark starred Laura Linney, Julia Garner, Sofia Hublitz, and Skylar Gaertner.