Here's Why Netflix Canceled Terminator Zero After Just One Season

It's yet another end for the "Terminator" franchise. After just one season, Netflix has pulled the plug on the "Terminator Zero" anime, hailed as gorgeous, gruesome, and just getting started. Unfortunately, showrunner Mattson Tomlin won't get to pursue a continuation of what had been planned as a multi-season series.

Tomlin, who co-wrote "The Batman" and Keanu Reeves' upcoming "BRZRKR" movie, developed, wrote, and served as showrunner of the series. It was very much his baby, though the franchise itself was created by "The Terminator" director James Cameron and co-writer Gale Anne Hurd. Taking to Twitter, Tomlin confirmed the news, explaining that the decision came down to viewership:

"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. 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 show centers on a soldier sent back to 1997 to protect a scientist named Malcolm Lee who works to launch a new AI system designed to compete with Skynet's impending attack on humanity. As Malcolm navigates the complexities of his creation, he is hunted by an unrelenting assassin from the future. "Terminator Zero" used the T-800 rather than go with the T-1000 or another variation of the android.

"Netflix was really great about supporting the show and giving me tremendous creative freedom to do what I wanted to do," Tomlin added on Twitter. "Good partners. The show was expensive and very time consuming. The only way they could justify it was if the audience showed up for it, and they just didn't."

Mattson Tomlin further clarified on Twitter that Netflix was willing to let him wrap the show up. "I'll also say they offered to let me do 2, maybe 3 episodes more to wrap up the story, which I declined," he revealed. "I felt the story I wanted to tell was much longer, and the finale of season one actually left things in a good place. But they didn't have to offer that. Good partners here."

For fans of the franchise, it's a big blow. Responding to a fan question on Twitter, Tomlin hinted that maybe one day he'll outline where "Terminator Zero" would have gone in season 2 and beyond:

"Maybe someday I'll do a big thread about the plans I had for the full five season run. The series finale was special and it was part of my pitch to get the job. I've written all of the season two scripts and outlined pretty much all of season three."

"Maybe I will return to that world in a different form," Tomlin concluded. "I really do love it, and it was extremely gratifying to see so many people connect with it the way they did."

James Cameron has revealed a couple of details about his next "Terminator" movie, which has yet to be greenlit at any studio as of this writing. Tomlin did confirm that he has no involvement in that project, so his time with the franchise is going to end here, it seems.

"Terminator Zero" is streaming now on Netflix.