Marco Polo, which had a straight-to-series order from Starz in 2012, premiered to poor reviews (including one from THR top TV critic Tim Goodman) and little excitement.
The Weinstein Company’s drama starred Lorenzo Richelmy (from Italy) as the protagonist, and Benedict Wong (from China) as Kublai Khan. The second season began on July 1, with the cast’s options slated to expire at the end of the year.
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Why did Marco Polo Get Cancelled
According to THR’s sources, the series cost the streaming behemoth a total of $200 million throughout both seasons. According to our sources, both Netflix and TWC made the decision to cancel production of season three of Marco Polo.
Netflix vp original content Cindy Holland released a statement on Monday thanking everyone involved with the production of Marco Polo.
“From the actors, whose performances were enthralling and top-notch, to the committed producers, including John Fusco, Dan Minahan, Patrick Macmanus, and their crew, who poured their hearts into the series,” Holland said.
Showrunner Fusco and Weinstein Co. co-chairman Harvey Weinstein hinted about working together on another drama with a similar topic.
“Netflix has been very supportive, allowing us to create a show with a cast that reflects the values of diversity in every way. It’s a brave service provider like Netflix that lets you do that and helps us out.
Many are aware of my lifelong interest in Asian culture and the martial arts, which has led me to focus my work on films and television shows that explore these themes and genres. John has been an excellent collaborator, and we’re both eager to work together in the future to learn more about this fascinating era.
Fusco remarked, “Harvey and I have a fascination for this kind of history; we had a terrific cast, fantastic creative team and crew, and shooting in Malaysia was an honour. We’re currently developing a concept in a related field, and we can’t wait to share it with you.
Ted Sarandos, chief content officer at Netflix, told THR in a roundtable conversation with other executives back in October that Marco Polo had done “what it was designed to do.” For us, Marco Polo is one of those shows in which viewership is irrelevant to international audiences, he explained.
Whether or if your neighbours are also watching the show is a hot topic of conversation because of its widespread popularity in Asia and Europe. And it makes no difference because it’s functioning as intended.
Along with the impending third season of Bloodline and the conclusion of Hemlock Grove after three seasons, Marco Polo has joined a select group of shows that have been cancelled at the streaming giant.
Last Words
The Get Down, which has yet to finish its first season on Netflix, as well as Easy and Between, both have yet to receive renewal announcements.
In terms of where The Weinstein Co. is at with its television division, Marco Polo is a long way from where it is.
Amazon’s David O. Russell drama starring Robert De Niro and Julianne Moore, and Matthew Weiner’s follow-up to Mad Men, are two examples of the studio’s recent emphasis on high-level projects from big-name directors. Both shows were quickly ordered for further seasons.
