Mindhunter landed on Netflix in 2017 and was quickly met with widespread praise and adoration. With tension maestro David Fincher at the helm, the show was lauded for its haunting atmosphere, stunning cinematography, sharp writing, and powerful performances. Season 2 arrived in 2019 and the momentum only grew further, becoming one of the top-watched crime shows on the platform.
Sadly for many, Mindhunter was cancelled at the peak of its popularity not long after its second season was through. This caused massive discontent across the TV landscape, with one diehard fan even going as far as to start a petition demanding another season, which currently has close to 100,000 signatures. So, as Netflix continues to dominate the streaming market, will it listen to its audience and finally bring forth another season?
Why Was Mindhunter Cancelled?
Mindhunter was released amid a boom in serial killer content on Netflix. As well as a plethora of scripted crime series thriving, documentary shows like Making a Murder and Tiger King caused a significant wave of popularity around projects that appease to audience’s morbid curiosities. Mindhunter somewhat acted as the perfect melding of both mediums, as although it was scripted, it was based upon real-life murder cases. To that, the show explored the disturbing lives, psyches, and motives of some of the world’s most despicable killers, including Dennis Radar, Ed Kemper, and Charles Manson. So, why was such a popular show cancelled after only two seasons?
According to Comic Book Resources, David Fincher stated the main reason for the show’s cancellation was budget-related. While it may seem like a show that could be made relatively cheap to make, Mindhunter had a lot of costs behind the scenes. Most notably, the extensive use of visual effects in the show was one of the key factors that contributed to its high production costs. To effectively and authentically convey Mindhunter‘s 1970s setting, the series had to use visual effects to add historic exteriors to neighbourhoods and also plant vintage logos across nearly every external frame. Furthermore, the show had certain tragedies to depict like explosions. Fincher and his team were highly praised for their artistry, but this wasn’t enough to stop Netflix from pulling the plug. Simply put, the lack of return on investment is the only explanation for the streaming giant’s decision to cancel Mindhunter. And citing Fincher’s explanation in an interview with Vulture, “dollars have to equal eyeballs.”
Is All Hope Gone for Mindhunter Season 3?
In the the ever-expanding land of television, cancelled shows often return years later for a comeback, particularly if they were cancelled with a public backlash thereafter. Sometimes, they even return on a completely different network. While Netflix are renowned for giving cancelled TV shows a new lease of life, with examples such as Designated Survivor, Lucifer, and Fuller House – when it comes to the other way around, they are very protective over their material.
As of writing, Mindhunter is still very much done and dusted. The last major update came in 2023 when Fincher confirmed its blunt stop via GamesRadar, saying: “I’m very proud of the first two seasons, but it’s a particularly expensive series and, in the eyes of Netflix, we haven’t attracted a large enough audience to justify such an investment. I don’t blame them, they took risks to launch the series.” Yet, the demand is still well and truly there.
Prior to starring in Mindhunter, Holt McCallany was very much a supporting actor. However, the show catapulted him to new realms of fame, going on to star in big-budget movies like Greenland, Wrath of Man, and Nightmare Alley. In 2023, he garnered a wealth of praise for his role in The Iron Claw, and has since dipped his toes back into the crime series realm with The Lincoln Lawyer, a show that has prospered massively on Netflix. To that, there has been a resurgence in demand for another Mindhunter season. The petition keeps getting new signatures, and social media is frequently lit up with fans begging for a third season. What’s so perplexing is the fact that Netflix certainly have the money to make another season, grossing over $8 billion a year. But sadly, it seems that they see it as too much of a risk.
David Fincher’s Partnership with Netflix Lives On
By now, it’s beyond evident that Netflix have a particular liking for David Fincher and his work. The Oscar-nominated filmmaker has had a few multi-year deals with the company. While his last one was set to end in 2024, it was promptly extended for another three years after the success of The Killer. His next project will see him direct Brad Pitt in the currently untitled Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood spinoff movie written by Quentin Tarantino. It goes without saying that this will be a massive project for Netflix, and if it goes well and Fincher still has a Mindhunter itch to scratch, he might just be able to convince them into making another season.
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