Call it the power of Manifest-ing. Two months after being axed by NBC, Deadline reports that missing plane drama Manifest is close to finding a second life. According to the outlet, “Warner Bros TV is in the home stretch of complex negotiations with Netflix about a Season 4.” This process also involves making the show’s cast and crew “if-come” deals, should the streaming service officially renew Manifest.
Netflix and WBTV have yet to confirm these talks, although series creator Jeff Rake tweeted earlier this week: “No news yet, folks. But I’m back in the place where it happens. And I’m ready.”
Manifest, a thriller about passengers on a flight that disappears for five years, was gaining streaming dominance precisely when NBC gave it the boot in mid-June. The cast includes Josh Dallas, Melissa Roxburgh, J.R. Ramirez, and Luna Blaise, many of whom have advocated for the show’s renewal via social media’s #SaveManifest campaign. (Stephen King is also a notable supporter.)
While many series receive similar online initiatives following their cancellations, few have had as much success as Manifest’s—or as much credibility. Since the show’s first two seasons hit Netflix, viewership has skyrocketed. According TVLine, Manifest remained the streaming service’s No. 1 title for 27 days, tying with early quarantine juggernaut Tiger King. The show also topped the Nielsen weekly streaming ratings for six weeks. “How strange for a show to seemingly be at the end of its rope and then suddenly it’s the No. 1 series on Netflix,” Rake told Entertainment Weekly.
Calls for the series to make a new season for Netflix began. But Deadline reported on June 20 that the streamer had opted not to pick it up. One of the biggest wrinkles was international distribution for Manifest, which had already been sold and would not belong to Netflix. The streamer also don’t retain the show’s domestic rights; while seasons one and two stream on Netflix, the third season currently lives on Hulu. However, it appears that the escalating viewership for Manifest was too hard to ignore. On July 20, it was reported that both NBC and Netflix had reopened negotiations for the show’s renewal. (NBC is officially out of the running, according to Deadline.)
While there’s no official announcement of Manifest’s revival, a popular fan theory has emerged. Viewers have speculated that the renewal will be announced on August 28 in reference to the show’s missing Flight 828. Until then, watch this space.
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