Why Raised By Wolves Was Canceled After Season 2 (What Went Wrong)
Despite its popularity and critical acclaim, Raised By Wolves was abruptly canceled after season 2. Here's what possibly went wrong with the series.
Raised By Wolves has been abruptly canceled after two seasons - and here is what possibly led to its sudden departure from HBO Max. With an incredibly imaginative world at its forefront, Raised By Wolves has all the right ingredients of a compelling sci-fi series—high concept drama, thought-provoking plotlines, and stunning visuals. Its speculative storytelling and religious undertones are a far cry from the run-of-the-mill tropes of the genre, yet this high-risk approach toward innovation and artistic integrity has helped Raised By Wolves garner some highly favorable reviews from critics and viewers alike.
Unfortunately, despite receiving critical acclaim, HBO Max has released a statement confirming that they will not be proceeding with a third season of Raised By Wolves. The show's untimely cancellation is surprising not only because of its favorable reviews but also because of the scalability of its remarkably vast world-building. Furthermore, Raised By Wolves season 2's ending also left viewers with many lingering questions that were likely left unresolved for future plot developments. For instance, the motive of the entity on Kepler-22b remains unknown, while even Marcus' fate is a big mystery. With these, and many other glaring loose threads left undone, Raised By Wolves' cancellation is a major letdown.
As speculated by series star Abubakar Salim in a series of tweets (via Twitter), Raised By Wolves season 3 walked the plank primarily because of the recent Discovery and WarnerMedia merger. The Warner Bros. Discovery conglomerate has wasted no time in making some substantial changes, such as removing streamer CNN+ from its roster and ceasing the production of newly scripted TNT and TBS shows. With so many shows getting axed, it is likely that Raised By Wolves also ended up falling prey to the cleaning house that transpired after Discovery's merger with Warner Bros.
Raised By Wolves' cancellation is all the more disappointing because its cast and crew were reportedly all set for another season. Along with the news of the show's cancellation, Salim affirmed that "we have a fully fleshed out and planned storyline, a Goliath of a production team behind us, incredible reception from critics and reviewers alike, and most crucially, a community base that is so strong internationally." In an interview (via Collider), showrunner Aaron Guzikowski also confirmed that he has not stopped working on Raised by Wolves' scripts and continues to live in its universe. Yet despite a clear affection for the series from its cast and crew, many other factors determine the fate of a TV show.
For instance, some of the most intriguing sci-fi shows like Raised By Wolves, The OA, and Sense 8 take about two to three seasons to find their feet and build solid foundations for their fictional worlds. However, streaming services are often unable to keep up with them because high-concept, visually pleasing dramas usually demand heavy financial investments, which may not always be in tandem with their overall revenue and viewership - and this was likely a factor in Raised By Wolves' cancellation too.
Although Raised By Wolves has no chance of returning on HBO Max, another streaming service could still potentially pick it up in the future. The show's future remains uncertain, but Abubakar Salim (Father in Raised By Wolves) revealed that Scott Free Productions is already on the lookout for another home for the show. The Raised By Wolves star has also encouraged fans to voice their love for the show so that potential streamers can recognize its appeal and perhaps give it another shot down the line.
MORE: Raised By Wolves: How Powerful Is Grandmother, Who Created Her And Why?
