Netflix has cleared a good portion of its renewal backlog since mid-2026. Crew Girl, Legends, Nemesis, A Different World, Big Mistakes, Bet, and Finding Her Edge already have new seasons confirmed, while The Four Seasons secured a third installment even though its second season arrived recently. Netflix Korea, for its part, gave Trauma Code a two-season order last week.
Not everything has been good news: The Boroughs, Bandi, and Strip Law received definitive cancellation. Even so, the list of scripted series still in limbo remains long. Below, we review the titles currently marked as pending on the Netflix originals list on Wikipedia, leaving documentaries and reality shows for another time, along with our predictions based on global weekly Top 10s, performance against previous seasons, the 30-day test in home territories, and production costs.
As always, these are conjectures based on audience data made public by Netflix and previous reports. The Tuesday Top 10 report, covering October 19 to 25, will provide the first figures for Lupin, Nobody Wants This, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2, and the second week of Hollywood Arts, data that could shift several of these predictions.
Heavy hitters in limbo
The Diplomat (Season 5): likely renewal
Season 4 arrived on October 15 and debuted at number 5 on the English-language TV list with 4.8 million views (33.5 million hours), appearing on charts in 58 countries. The openings for each season have been 8.5M (S1), 5.6M (S2), 4.8M (S3), and 4.8M (S4), showing that the audience decline has completely stabilized.
Added to this is Allison Janney's Emmy, solid reviews, a cliffhanger ending, and a cast that wants to continue, as well as backing from Netflix executives, including former executive chairman Reed Hastings. The only doubt is that, for the first time, Netflix did not renew the series ahead of its premiere, and season 4 was a costly multinational shoot, suggesting the platform is waiting to see the second and third-week figures before confirming.
Nobody Wants This (Season 4): likely renewal, but the decline is worrying
Season 3 premiered on October 22 with 6.2 million views in its first four days, earning it the number 2 spot on the weekly chart, presence in the Top 10 of 56 countries, and the number one spot in 11 of them. The return also boosted viewership for seasons 1 and 2 by up to 3 times, exceeding 110 million cumulative views throughout its run.
The problem is the trend: openings have been 10.3M (S1), 8.6M (S2), and now 6.2M (S3), a 28% drop compared to the previous season, more pronounced than the 16.5% between the first and second. Even so, Netflix has a clear pattern with this series: season 3 was renewed just twelve days after the season 2 premiere. Creator Erin Foster has said there is still story to tell, although she has also admitted she prefers to leave the audience wanting more rather than dragging the series out excessively.
Lupin (Part 5): practically confirmed
Part 4 premiered on October 23, the first without creator George Kay, and is already in the Top 10 in 62 countries, being number 1 in 40 of them, including France. Screenwriter Florent Meyer hinted at a Netflix literary festival panel that the team is working on a fifth season, and the finale of this installment practically demands a continuation.
Man on Fire (Season 2): 50/50, with a negative trend
The first season had a solid performance: 11 million views in its first week (number 1 in English-language TV, 61 million hours) and 12.6 million in the second, also in the top spot. The total of 23.6 million in two weeks places it fourth among 13 comparable action dramas. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II left the door open for a continuation and the finale points to Mexico City as the setting. However, six months have passed without a renewal, which is striking for a high-budget multinational shoot, in a context where Netflix has been cautious with expensive action dramas all year.
XO, Kitty (Season 4): likely, possibly as a final season
Season 3 arrived in the spring with a gradual drop in cumulative views at three weeks: 32.6M (S1), 27.1M (S2), and 23.7M (S3), a 12% decline compared to the previous season. Despite this, six months have passed without an announcement for a series that was previously renewed quickly twice. There have been reports of creative difficulties in shaping a new season.
Beef (Season 3): prolonged hiatus, perhaps until 2028 or 2029
The second season, starring Carey Mulligan, Oscar Isaac, Cailee Spaeny, and Charles Melton, was a critical success and a favorite at the Limited Series Emmys, but the figures were soft: 2.4 million views in its debut week, 58% less than the first season. As an anthology, each season has to rebuild word-of-mouth from scratch, something that didn't quite work this time. Creator Lee Sung Jin remains tied to Netflix through an overall deal, but everything points to the Beef brand as an annual offering having ended.
The Hawk (Season 2): trending toward cancellation
Will Ferrell's sports comedy opened with 4.8 million views and grew to 6.2 million in its second week, which is unusual for Netflix comedies. Reviews were harsh (29% from critics, 65% from the public) and the audience was mostly Western and English-speaking. The reported cost, between $5 and $7 million per episode, is the main obstacle, although there are signs of work underway for a possible second season.
Leanne (Season 3): 50/50
The second season arrived on August 27 with a reduced order of 10 episodes, but it did not enter the global Top 10. Regional figures were better: third place in the United States for four days, top 5 in Canada, and two Emmy nominations. Tim Daly has moved on to the NBC series Newlyweds, and Netflix has not commented for two months.
Haunted Hotel (Season 3): 50/50, with hope
The first season was renewed just a week after its premiere in September 2025. The second, released on October 9, did not enter the weekly chart in its first week, but reached number 9 in the second with 2.7 million views. Creator Matt Roller claims the scripts for the third season are already finished and that the team could start filming immediately, which would allow for a possible return in 2027.
Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 (Season 3): trending toward cancellation
The original two-season order has already been fulfilled. The first installment achieved 2.8 million views in its first week, a respectable figure for animation but far from what the brand suggests. The second season was worse, entering the TV Top 10 in very few countries. The showrunner has openly said that audience figures will decide the future of the series.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (Season 3): unlikely as a direct continuation
Edgerunners 2 premiered on October 20, four years after the original, and the first figures will arrive on Tuesday. Showrunner Bartosz Sztybor has not ruled out more stories in Night City, but he has been clear: without the perfect combination of story, director, and studio, it is possible the franchise will remain at two installments.
Non-English language series pending decision
Bloodhounds (Season 3, Korea): likely, but with a slow schedule
The second season arrived almost three years after the first and showed notable audience retention despite the time elapsed. Actor Woo Do-hwan has publicly expressed his interest in continuing. Netflix Korea does not usually announce renewals quickly.
Elite Force (Season 2, France): likely
It was the biggest French scripted debut of the year, with 10.1 million views in its first week, well ahead of other French premieres in 2026.
Not a Stranger (Season 2, Turkey): likely
A clear success that led the non-English language chart in its weeks 2 and 3, with performance superior to other Turkish series that were renewed.
Other notable international titles
Among the cases with a positive trend are Blood Sacrifice (Swedish, by George Kay), The Perfect Lie (Dutch), and Umthetho and The Polygamist (South African). With weaker signs are The Price of Confession (Korean), Inside the Circle and Santita (Hispanic), and the Thai series The Evil Lawyer and Delusion, which are absent from the charts.
Delhi Crime (India) is a special case: despite a modest opening for its third season, it is the Emmy-winning title for Netflix India, and some renewal trackers are already mentioning a fourth season, although there is no official announcement confirmed by Netflix.
Adult animation and anime: the chart rule
The rule from previous years remains: if a Netflix adult animation series does not enter the global weekly charts, it usually does not return. Mating Season, Alley Cats, and Dang! have not registered a presence in the global Top 10, although Mating Season could have a second season with a 50% probability. Baki-Dou: The Invincible Samurai, on the other hand, benefits from the fact that the Baki franchise has been one of the most reliable for Netflix when it comes to renewing anime.
Series that will likely not return by design
Some productions were conceived as limited series from the beginning, regardless of their performance. This is the case for Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, Agatha Christie's Seven Dials, Radioactive Emergency, Moria, and Straight to Hell. Unchosen is the most striking exception: despite being the first British scripted title to lead the English-language chart since Hard Cell, it was developed as a self-contained story.
Frequently asked questions about pending Netflix renewals
Which Netflix series are most likely to be renewed at the end of 2026?
The Diplomat, Nobody Wants This, and Lupin lead the list of likely renewals, supported by solid audiences, good reviews, and statements from their creative teams about unfinished stories to tell.
Which series are at the highest risk of cancellation on Netflix?
Beef, Stranger Things: Tales from '85, and The Hawk are among the titles at the highest risk of not continuing, due to audience drops, high production costs, or a lack of renewal signals after several months of silence.
Why does Netflix take so long to renew or cancel some series?
Netflix usually waits to have several weeks of audience data, including retention figures in the second and third weeks, before making a decision, especially on expensive productions or those with multinational shoots like The Diplomat or Man on Fire.
Is there any news on Man on Fire season 2?
Despite solid audience figures in its first two weeks, Man on Fire remains without an official renewal six months after its premiere, which is attributed to the high cost of its multinational shoot.
Which international Netflix series have the best options to continue?
Elite Force in France, Not a Stranger in Turkey, and Bloodhounds in South Korea are among the non-English language productions with the best prospects for renewal according to available audience data.
