Netflix Cancels Terminator Zero After Just One Season

Netflix has quietly canceled Terminator Zero, its science-fiction anime series set in the Terminator universe, after only one season. The news was confirmed by creator Mattson Tomlin, who revealed the decision in a candid post on X.

Creator Confirms Cancellation

Responding to a fan question about season two, Tomlin wrote: “It was cancelled. The critical and audience reception to it was tremendous, but at the end of the day not nearly enough people watched it.”

Despite strong reviews from critics and positive feedback from viewers, the show struggled to attract the audience numbers Netflix requires to justify continuation.

Plans for Future Seasons

Tomlin explained that he had already written scripts for season two and outlined much of season three. His original vision included a five-season arc exploring the “Future War.” While disappointed, he expressed satisfaction with how season one ended, calling the finale “special” and part of his original pitch.

“Maybe someday I’ll do a big thread about the plans I had for the full five season run,” he added, hinting that the story could return in another form.

Netflix Partnership

Tomlin stressed that he had no ill will toward Netflix, praising the streamer for giving him creative freedom. He revealed that Netflix even offered him the chance to produce two or three final episodes to wrap up the story, but he declined, believing the season one finale provided closure.

“They didn’t have to offer that. Good partners here,” he wrote.

About the Series

Terminator Zero followed Malcolm Lee, a scientist in 1997 developing an AI system while being hunted by a futuristic assassin targeting his three children. The anime expanded the Terminator mythology originally created by James Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd, blending action with emotional family drama.

Netflix’s February Slate

The cancellation comes as Netflix rolls out a packed February lineup, including the return of The Night Agent, Lisa McGee’s new series How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, and the final chapter of Bridgerton season four. Documentaries on Gordon Ramsay, Lucy Letby, and Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder are also set to premiere. Meanwhile, the addition of the long-running medical drama ER has drawn attention, boosted by renewed interest in Noah Wyle following the Emmy-winning success of The Pitt.