Terminator Zero has officially been canceled at Netflix.
Series creator Mattson Tomlin confirmed the news on social media, revealing that while the anime earned strong critical and audience reception, not enough people tuned in to justify continuing the show.
What did Mattson Tomlin say?
“It was cancelled,” Tomlin wrote on X. “The critical and audience reception to it was tremendous, but at the end of the day not nearly enough people watched it. I would’ve loved to deliver on the Future War I had planned in season’s 2 and 3, but I’m also very happy with how it feels contained as is.”
The animated series debuted on Netflix as part of the long-running The Terminator franchise, aiming to reconnect fans with the darker, more grounded sci-fi roots of the property.
Not Enough Viewers Despite Strong Reception
Tomlin made it clear the decision came down to viewership numbers.
According to him, Netflix supported the series creatively and gave him “tremendous creative freedom.” However, the show was described as expensive and time-consuming to produce. Without a large enough audience, Netflix couldn’t justify moving forward.
“The only way they could justify it was if the audience showed up for it, and they just didn’t,” Tomlin explained.
That admission confirms the cancellation wasn’t due to creative differences, but purely business.
Future War Plans Scrapped
Tomlin also revealed he had mapped out an ambitious five-season arc. He had written all of season two and outlined most of season three. The planned storyline would have expanded deeper into the Future War, a core element longtime Terminator fans have wanted to see properly explored.
He even hinted that the series finale for the full run was part of his original pitch and something he was particularly proud of.
Netflix offered Tomlin the opportunity to produce two or possibly three additional episodes to wrap up the story. He declined, believing the story he wanted to tell required a longer arc and that the season one finale worked as a contained ending.
Could ‘Terminator Zero’ Return?
Despite the cancellation, Tomlin left the door open.
“Maybe I will return to that world in a different form,” he said, adding that he genuinely loves the franchise and found it gratifying that many fans connected with his approach.
What was Terminator Zero about?
Set in Japan in 1997, just before Judgment Day, the series follows Skynet becoming self-aware and launching a war against humanity. A soldier from the future travels back in time to protect scientist Malcolm Lee, who is developing a rival AI system that could stop Skynet. As a deadly Terminator hunts him down, Malcolm and his three children are caught in the middle of the fight to change humanity’s fate.
