Warrior Nun was cancelled by Netflix after two seasons, then seemingly revived, but it may be up to the fans to assure that the show gets the hoped-for resolution to its storylines.
What Is It?
This series follows a young woman who discovers that she is part of an ancient order tasked with fighting demons and other supernatural beings on Earth. She also learns that both heaven and hell have an interest in her fate. It is based on the comic book Warrior Nun Areala by Ben Dunn.
Aired: Netflix, 2020-22, 2 Seasons Totaling 18 Episodes
Starring: Alba Baptista, Toya Turner, Lorena Andrea, Kristina Tonteri-Young, Tristán Ulloa
Created By: Simon Barry
Why Was It Cancelled?
This fantasy series arrived on Netflix in the Summer of 2020 and it was one of several originals that the streamer added to its lineup with little in the way of promotion. But it struck a Buffy the Vampire Slayer nerve and it managed to develop a loyal audience while also posting decent viewership numbers for Netflix. It was given the greenlight for a second season and that arrived two years later after COVID-related production delays. The show spent three weeks in the streamer’s Top 10 (two in the Top 5) and seemed to be on track for a third-season renewal. At that point, Netflix would typically let its originals run three-to-four seasons with the final announced in advance as the last. If the streamer had done that, the show might have been allowed a satisfying conclusion and fans may have been happy with its brief-but-complete run. However, things did not quite work out that way.
Netflix was going through some changes in strategy, and the streamer that once supported its originals started issuing many more cancellations. We had seen hints of this going back as far as The OA, but by 2022, things had gotten much worse. The executives at that company started focusing on the completion rate of its shows which tracks how many people watched the season all the way through within a set amount of time. Allegedly, that correlated to how many would also tune in for a new season, and shows with low completion rates started getting the ax even though they appeared to be drawing in high viewership. Other genre entries from around that time like The Midnight Club, The Imperfects, and Fate: The Winx Saga had similar runs in the charts, but found themselves cancelled just like Warrior Nun.
In addition, Netflix had a “cost plus” model in place at that time (and I believe still today) in which they would pay more money for each season. That gives an incentive to the production company for new seasons, but in turn creates a disincentive for the streamer because it will pay more even though the audience will decrease because that is the typical trend. It all sounds topsy-turvy and makes you wonder why these executives get the salaries they do, but it also resulted in the cancellation of many fan-favorite shows.
How Did The Fans React?
Despite the fact that Netflix execs did not believe the show had a sufficient completion rate in its second season, a lot of people were watching Warrior Nun, and as mentioned above, it had a very devoted fanbase. They immediately took to the social networks and got the show trending, while an online petition pulled in over 125K signatures. It was Number 2 in our Spring 2023 poll and it is leading the Summer 2024 poll as of this writing. And after a raucous campaign in 2023, fans were rewarded with the news that a revival was in the works which would comprise three movies and would be made apart from Netflix. This was welcome news and fans rejoiced that the show would at least get a proper conclusion after the streamer cut it short. News was sparse on the revival plans, but that was because the actors’ strike was still going on and the details were still being worked out. But things were moving forward and more adventures from Warrior Nun were on the way. Or so we thought . . .
What Happened to the Promised Revival?
There was plenty of excitement around the revival and fans had high hopes that the movies would cap off the series or possibly even lead into a new direction. However, in Fall 2023 the WarriorNunSaved.com website put up a mysterious announcement (which turned out to just be a competition for a halo design), and when fans checked in with Simon Barry he said he knew nothing about it and that he had not been asked to participate in the movies. Barry later indicated that the movies would not follow the story of the television series and that he would not be involved with them. It’s not even clear if the original cast will return for these three films, assuming they ever happen. And since the original announcement of the Warrior Nun revival there has been little in the way of substantive news and I can see no indication that the films have moved into production. (If anybody has updates, please provide that info in the comments).
Can It Still Be Revived?
It is clear that fans want Warrior Nun to return as a continuation from the Netflix series to at least offer some resolution to its storylines. The films at first appeared to offer that, but it is completely unclear what is going on with them right now. Netflix’s license to the show may be about to expire (that streamer generally holds onto the viewing rights for at least two years), so now is the time to make a push for a true revival of the TV series. And fans are definitely showing their support, as our current poll proves. They should also continue to work hard to get it trending on the social networks in an attempt to interest other venues in picking up the property. This is not a super-expensive original and it brings a devoted fanbase with it. So if Amazon or Hulu or one of the other streamers were to pick it up, the show would have plenty of willing subscribers. Or perhaps AMC would have an interest as it picked up Snowpiercer after TNT cut ties with that show. The plans for the movies certainly pose a hurdle, but since nothing appears to be in the works yet, perhaps those could be scrapped or revised to give the fans the revival that they really want. And now is definitely the time for a push in that direction seeing as the licensing could be up for grabs shortly. (You can read about the direction Simon Barry wanted to take the show in its third season at this link.)
Where Can You Watch It?
The first two seasons of Warrior Nun are still streaming on Netflix, but I am not sure how much longer they will be there. As mentioned above, that streamer’s rights to the show may be about to expire, so it could be on the move shortly.
Did you watch Warrior Nun and would you support fan efforts to bring it back? Chime in below in the comments.
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Dean English’s 3 movies announcement definitly put a brake in the momentum of the fanbase’s fight. but still today i get new people to watch Warrior Nun and they a l l love it! i can’t understand these executives at netflix who earn millions of $ per year for making bad decisions. and those at other streamers: just take a look at the data some very competent data analysts in the fandom collected and see that picking it up would never result in a failure. those movies however are already dead without the original cast and crew and the father of the success Simon Barry! The story is worth being continued, so lets hope somebody sees reason and picks it up asap.
Warrior Nun reminds me of a similar superhero in the series called “Priest”. The catch here is that a helpless Priest somehow got unintentionally turned in a Vampire. This opposite duality wrecked havic with his mind but still he was somehow able to use his powers for good.