Fans hoping ‘Terminator Zero‘ would expand into a long-running anime chapter of the franchise have received disappointing news. After months without updates following its release, Netflix has now officially decided the series will not move forward.
The confirmation did not come from a press release but directly from creator Mattson Tomlin, who finally explained why the story stopped despite positive reactions.
‘Terminator Zero’ Got Low Viewership
Mattson Tomlin confirmed the cancellation on his official X account, finally answering fans who had waited since the show premiered in August 2024. According to him, the series performed well creatively but failed commercially. “The critical and audience reception to it was tremendous, but at the end of the day, not nearly enough people watched it,” Tomlin wrote.
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Because Netflix never announced a renewal after the release, viewers already suspected trouble. Still, this statement clear confirmation that the anime will not continue. The decision shuts down what was intended to be a much larger story inside the ‘Terminator‘ universe.
Originally, there were plans for seasons 2 and 3. But Tomlin admitted he wanted to continue exploring the Future War storyline, but now accepts that the show works as a standalone chapter.
Creator Mattson Tomlin Had A Plan to Make Five Seasons of the Show
The cancellation hurts more because the series was designed to run long-term. Tomlin revealed he had already completed scripts for Season 2 and outlined most of Season 3, with a full five-season arc planned.
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He shared that the finale was part of the pitch, and he may post a detailed thread someday. While disappointed, he said he still feels satisfied with how the story ended and how audiences connected to it.
The anime followed a soldier sent back to 1997 to protect scientist Malcolm Lee, who was preparing to launch an AI capable of challenging Skynet’s coming attack. As Malcolm struggled with the morality of his creation, a relentless assassin hunted him. Eventually, he put his three children in danger and altered their fate forever.
With the script for the second season fully made, the planning for the third season was also in the works. In his official statement, Tomlin stated how he was happy with how the show feels contained despite being one season long. He added, “Maybe someday I’ll do a big thread about the plans I had for the full five-season run.”
Although Tomlin was not able to showcase his creativity in a full-fledged five-season run of the show, only time will tell whether he will get another platform to do so.
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