Fans of The Cuphead Show! are going on two years without new episodes of the beloved cartoon series. With that long length of time between seasons — and no word on Season 4 from Hollywood trades or creatives — it seems Netflix has effectively canceled The Cuphead Show!.
We say effectively because the show, which is based on the video game Cuphead, becomes the latest series to enter a limbo state at Netflix. It’s one of the programs that are no longer in production on new episodes, but no one has ever told press (and sometimes even creatives) that the project is totally dead. No matter the semantics, Netflix is not making plans for more episodes at this time.
As the news outlet What’s on Netflix notes, a bunch of shows are currently in this limbo state, such as Russian Doll, God’s Favorite Idiot, Chicago Party Aunt, Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun and The Pentaverate.
In the case of The Cuphead Show!, it appears Netflix ordered a big batch of episodes up-front and released them in three parts, totaling 36 episodes. Based on remarks from those behind the scenes, Netflix never formally said it canceled the show — it just never ordered any more installments after this initial production. Creatives really want to make more episodes, but without a Netflix greenlight, The Cuphead Show! has essentially concluded.
Head writer Deeki Deke confirmed to Cartoon Base in February that the show hadn’t received a formal cancellation notice, but no new episodes were in the works. However, he remains hopeful that production on The Cuphead Show! could be fired up again one day.
A promotional still from Netflix’s ‘The Cuphead Show!’
– Netflix)
“Plenty of shows go away and come back after fan demand,” Deke said. “Family Guy went off the air after 2 seasons but came back a few years later and is still on today, so you never know. I think part of the reason talking about this is tricky is because nobody’s ever said the show is ‘cancelled.’ Maybe our casino ending was too neat and tidy a conclusion, but I’m glad we did it, because it felt right in the early days when we came up with it, and when we got to the last batch of episodes it still felt right.
“Our story team had a very particular alchemy and process that worked well for us because we trusted each other and had the trust and support of MDHR and our incredible Netflix executive Megan Casey. But even without recapturing the same circumstances and even with a whole new team, I believe the world and the characters could fuel a thousand different shows. I doubt we’ve seen the last of the Inkwell Isles in animation.”
A promotional still from Netflix’s ‘The Cuphead Show!’
– Netflix)
In the meantime, fans can catch a glimpse of some unused concepts in The Art of the Cuphead Show!, an upcoming book authored by Deke.