Prepare to board "Manifest" for Season 4; Netflix has ordered a fourth and final season, saving the mystery box drama following its cancellation by NBC. Thanks to an enthusiastic fan campaign, "Manifest" had been ranked in Netflix's U.S. top 10 daily since June.
The announcement was made on August 28 at 8:28 a.m. PT, as both the date (8/28) and time refer to the show's central mystery surrounding Flight 828. The renewal is the result of a lengthy negotiation between Netflix and Warner Bros. Television, which produces "Manifest." The agreement divides the 20 episodes into two or more parts and encompasses the release of the show on Netflix's international markets in the coming months.
"Manifest," by creator Jeff Lake, follows the passengers and crew of Flight 828 who are suddenly reappeared after being presumed dead for over five years. They find that their reunion with family and society is complicated and emotionally volatile. The survivors then begin to experience a vision of the future called "The Calling." Lake has previously said that he plans to air six seasons.
Here is what is known so far about "Manifest" Season 4.
Netflix has built a reputation for preserving shows, but in practice streamers do so quite rarely. Past "saved shows" include Designated Survivor and The Killing. Netflix saved shows in 2018, picking up "Lucifer" (cancelled by Fox) and "You" (cancelled by Lifetime).
When NBC canceled "Manifest," the move came as a very unpleasant shock to fans, who immediately launched a #SaveManifest campaign. As a result, the numbers for "Manifest" seasons 1-2, which were released on Netflix in June, were boosted. The drama dominated Netflix's U.S. Top 10 chart, topped Nielsen's streaming ratings for four consecutive weeks, and eventually racked up over 1 billion views. Season 3 was added in mid-August.
Still, a deal between Netflix and Warner Bros. Television seemed unlikely. And in fact, Netflix has largely backed away from the save-the-grams game.
But according to media insider Matt Belloni (h/t TVLine), WBTV was able to buy out the licensing deal in international markets so that it could get the global exclusivity that Netflix demands. In return, Netflix offered a large episode order, an increase per episode (from $4 million to $5 million), and raises for cast members.
"Since its premiere on Netflix in June, 'Manifest' has proven to be very popular with our members," said Bella Bajaria, head of Netflix's global TV division.
"Jeff Lake and his team have created an engaging mystery that will keep viewers around the world on the edge of their seats and make them believe in second chances again.
In a statement, Lake said, "What began years ago as a flight of fancy in the depths of my imagination has evolved into the jet engine journey of a lifetime. I never dreamed that the world would be flooded with love and support for this story, its characters, and the team that works so hard to bring it to life. I am beyond thrilled to be able to reward our fans with the ending they deserve. On behalf of the cast, crew, writers, directors and producers, I want to thank Netflix, Warner Bros. and of course the fans. It's all thanks to you."
Unfortunately, there is no mention of a release date for "Manifest" Season 4 in any of Netflix's renewal reports.
What is known is that the fourth season will be the final chapter, will consist of 20 episodes, and will be released in two or more installments.
Lake previously said that he had envisioned a roadmap for six seasons of Manifest. After the show was canceled by NBC, he told EW.com that he began thinking of ways to put the second half of the plan together into a feature film to complete the story for fans.
Now he and the writers will be given 20 episodes to come to a satisfactory conclusion. (Season 1 had 16 episodes, and seasons 2-3 had 13 each.)
Season 4 of "Manifesto" will be released in installments, so the cast and crew could begin filming this fall and deliver the first episodes in early 2022. This would coincide with the mid-season premiere and broadcast schedule on NBC in the past two seasons.
According to Deadline, stars Josh Dallas, Melissa Roxburgh, and J.R. Ramirez will all return for "Manifest" season 4. Meanwhile, Parveen Kaur, Matt Long, Luna Blaise, and Jack Messina are reportedly still in negotiations.
The cast members' contracts expired in June, but WBTV has begun talks to extend their options while it looks around for a partner to pick up "Manifest" Season 4.
Dallas plays math professor Ben Stone, and Roxburgh plays Ben's sister, NYPD detective Michaela Stone. Both were passengers on Flight 828. Ramirez plays Jared Vasquez, another NYPD detective and Micaela's ex-boyfriend who was not on the plane. Blaise and Messina play Ben's children, Cal (on the flight) and Olive (not on the flight). Kaur is played by medical researcher Saanvi Baru, who was recruited by the passengers to join the NSA task force investigating the mystery. And Long plays Zeke Landon, a hiker who has a similar experience to 828.
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