'Manifest' Officially Dead, Netflix Refuses to Pick up Canceled NBC Show
Manifest is canceled canceled. After NBC axed the mysterious sci-fi drama, Netflix had been in [...]
Manifest is canceled canceled. After NBC axed the mysterious sci-fi drama, Netflix had been in talks to save the show. However, Deadline now reports the streaming giant has passed on picking up the show. Furthermore, Warner Bros. Television, the studio behind the series, has apparently given up on finding the plane-centric mystery a home, citing the show's current digital rights agreements and cast members' contracts, some of which have apparently expired or would be expiring soon.
While Netflix and Warner Bros. Television did not comment on Deadline's report, Lesley Goldberg of The Hollywood Reporter also reported the same disappointing news not long after. This brings Manifest to a close with three seasons totaling 42 episodes.
#Manifest is officially dead as Netflix has passed on picking up the canceled NBC drama, which had been on its most-watched list (whatever that really means).
— Lesley Goldberg (@Snoodit) June 22, 2021
Netflix was the go-to option for a few reasons. First, the streamer already had streaming rights to Manifest, with Seasons 1 and 2 already on the service. (It's unclear if just-aired Season 3 will end up on the service, but it likely will.) Secondly, the show seemed to be doing phenomenally well on Netflix. It topped the streaming service's top-10 TV and overall charts when it started streaming on June 10, and it is currently still the No. 1 show while being the No. 2 title overall behind Kevin Hart's movie Fatherhood.
Thirdly, there's a precedent for Netflix picking up a Warner Bros. Television production that a broadcast network canceled. In May 2018, FOX canceled Lucifer, the supernatural dramedy based on DC Comics character Lucifer Morningstar. In June of that year, Netflix swooped in to save the day. They renewed it for Season 4 and later Season 5. Season 5 was initially supposed to be Lucifer's last, but the show performed so well that Netflix ordered one more season afterward. Manifest fans hoped the show would be revived on the platform and have similar success.
Jeff Rake, the show's creator and executive producer, had a six-season plan laid out for the series. Rake has not spoken out on the new Netflix report, but on Monday morning, he tweeted, "No news is good news as far as I'm concerned. Keep watching. Keep pushing. Keep the faith." Sadly, it appears the news did come later in the day.