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Axed: Snowpiercer

Another show falls victim to decisions by Warner Bros. Discovery and is now on the hunt for a new home.

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US post-apocalyptic drama series Snowpiercer, based on Bong Joon-ho’s 2013 film, has become the latest show to be scrapped in Warner Bros. Discovery’s ongoing content write-offs.

The show’s fourth and final season will not air in the USA on TNT despite production having been completed -meaning it is unlikely to air internationally until it has a new US outlet.

Tomorrow Studios, which produces the post-apocalyptic drama, will now search for another home for the show. The studio has bought back the rights to the entire series so it can shop the full library along with season four to potential buyers.

“TNT will not air season four of Snowpiercer,” a network spokesperson said in a statement. “This was a difficult decision, but our admiration for the talented writers, actors and crew who brought Snowpiercer’s extraordinary post-apocalyptic world to life remains strong. We have been working collaboratively with the producers since last year to help the series find a new home where fans can continue to enjoy the compelling story and exceptional visual experience. We look forward to working with them on future projects.”

Tomorrow Studios, which produces the post-apocalyptic drama, will look for another home for the show, CEO and partner Marty Adelstein and president/partner Becky Clements said in a statement of their own.

“We love Snowpiercer and believe season four completes a story with incredible talent that will entertain viewers while exploring issues of climate change and class warfare,”Tomorrow Studios CEO and partner Marty Adelstein and president / partner Becky Clements said. “We are so passionate about this series that we have acquired the rights to control the franchise. We hope to find the perfect partner shortly and finish a great ride with the final season.”

The show is one of a host of titles WBD has pulled off various platforms as it looks for several billion dollars in cost savings following the WarnerMedia-Discovery merger. They include the finished Batgirl movie that was destined for HBO Max, season two of TBS’ comedy Chad (which ended up at Roku), HBO Max’s Minx (which landed at Starz) and hundreds of library episodes on HBO Max, including Looney Tunes and Sesame Street.

Snowpiercer screens in Australia through Netflix.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

5 Responses

  1. With production completed season 4 will be sitting on a shelf and logically Netflix (assuming they are not suffering serious economic issues themselves) will buy it, they have the larger international market to finish up this show and must know the average world wide viewing figures for those who watched it. Snowpiercer should have been a limited season show to get the best out the movie adaption, the predictable stretched out screenplay and generic character development made Snowpiercer into an unexceptional and typical American studio sci-fi franchise production in style and ambition.

  2. I personally think referring to final seasons of shows as “axed” is the wrong term. To me “axed” means abruptly cancelled. Not having a final season.

  3. AT&T tried to build a vertically integrated business based around WB and TM content and their cable and internet services. Three years later WB was heavily in debt and they wanted out. So they spun their media business off into a new company owned by their shareholders then it entered into a merger with Discovery, this can all be done avoiding corporate taxes under US law. AT&T received $43b in cash and debt (which they can use to reduce their taxes). WBD then started cost cutting and asset stripping. They cancelled or finished many CW shows and sold 75% of it (joint owned with CBS who are concentrating on Paramount+) to Nexstar (the largest owner of CW affiliates who had no real choice). They have stopped streaming shows to avoid paying residuals. And are now cancelling production of shows near the end or production. This saves on broadcast rights, promotion and forces the produces to buy the IP rights of them. With several seasons and an unaired season they’re getting shown.

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