Coming as no surprise, HBO has renewed its video-game-based, post-apocalyptic series The Last of Us for a third season just ahead of its second season premiere. That show proved quite popular in linear and digital viewing in its first season, and apparently the cable network wants to get production rolling on further seasons so as not to have as long of a hiatus (it has been over two years since the show first premiered). According to showrunner Craig Mazin, they are in the process of adapting Part II of the game and that could go several seasons:
It’s getting harder to make, because every episode gets big. You don’t want to wait four years for a 17-episode finish, or whatever it is.
We approached Season 2 with the goal of creating something we could be proud of. The end results have exceeded even our most ambitious goals, thanks to our continued collaboration with HBO and the impeccable work of our unparalleled cast and crew.
The second season premiere will be on Sunday, April 13th at 9 PM EST on HBO and Max.
Over at AMC, supernatural drama Mayfair Witches has received the greenlight to continue to a third season. The linear ratings for that show were down notably in its second season, averaging only a 0.03 score (three one-hundredths of a rating point) based on same-day viewing for the 18-49 demographic. But I did not move it to Bubble status because AMC has been all-in on its Immortal Universe which is based on the books by Anne Rice. Interview with the Vampire has performed better in viewing and a spin-off series to Mayfair Witches—The Talamasca–is currently in the works. The shows apparently perform much better in digital viewing, but the Nielsen Streaming Rankings do not track AMC+ and AMC has not released the streaming numbers. Don’t be surprised if the upcoming third season of Witches is announced as its last at some point and storylines are picked up with the other entries in the franchise. Deadline gave the following rundown on the upcoming season:
Season 3 of Mayfair Witches, starring Alexandra Daddario, will dive deeper into the mythology of witchcraft, introduce new ‘spellbound’ families and feature some of the historical happenings of Salem, the infamous town of witch trials and folklore.
Production on that has not begun yet, and I expect that it will be early 2026 before it premieres.
These two announcements bring the score for the 2024-25 season to 27 renewed sci fi and fantasy entries (54% of shows tracked) vs. 13 cancelled and ending (26%). You can see the breakdown of the numbers and the full list of shows for the current and prior seasons on our Cancellation Watch Page.
The Last of Us follows Joel, a hardened survivor, and Ellie, a teenage girl who may be humanity’s last hope, as they journey across a ravaged United States. A deadly fungal outbreak has turned much of the population into monstrous infected, and society has collapsed into isolated, authoritarian zones and lawless wildlands. As Joel escorts Ellie westward, their bond deepens, revealing the emotional toll of survival—and the difficult choices that come with it. It stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey and it is based on the video game series of the same name.
Mayfair Witches centers on Dr. Rowan Fielding, a gifted neurosurgeon who discovers she is the heir to a dynasty of powerful witches haunted by a sinister entity known as Lasher. As Rowan delves into her newfound heritage, she must navigate her developing powers, confront dark family secrets, and contend with Lasher’s persistent influence. It stars Alexandra Daddario, Tongayi Chirisa, Jack Huston, and Harry Hamlin, and Ben Feldman and it is based on Anne Rice’s Lives of the Mayfair Witches trilogy.
The new year is underway and we can expect more cancellation and renewal announcements in the coming months. You can see the status of all this season’s shows at our Cancellation Watch page. And be sure to follow this site as well as our Twitter and Mastodon accounts for updates and breaking news.
Keep up with the status updates of all the currently airing sci fi and fantasy shows with our Cancellation Watch posts. And be sure to follow us on social media for breaking news and updates: Twitter | Facebook | Mastodon | Blue Sky.
Follow our Sci Fi TV Schedule for all the currently airing and upcoming sci fi and fantasy television shows, and you can see the premieres for all the upcoming genre entries at this link.
