Netflix has swiftly cancelled three adult animated series after just one season, underscoring the platform’s accelerating trend of prioritizing viewership over critical acclaim or creative ambition. The dropped titles—Zack Snyder’s Twilight of the Gods, Exploding Kittens, and the Good Times: Black Again animated reboot—join a wave of original programming being trimmed as Netflix sharpens its focus on immediate audience engagement.
Zack Snyder’s Norse Epic Ends on a Cliffhanger
Twilight of the Gods premiered in September 2024 with an eight-episode run rooted in Norse mythology. The story follows Sigrid, a warrior driven by vengeance against Thor after her family’s destruction, with the season ending on a major cliffhanger involving Loki’s manipulation of Ragnarök. Despite a 76% “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes and praise for its animation and action sequences, the show failed to crack Netflix’s global top 10. Although early work had begun on a potential second season, the series was cancelled due to insufficient viewership.
Exploding Kittens: Concept Falls Flat
Exploding Kittens, a nine-episode adult animated comedy based on the hit card game, debuted in July 2024. With a voice cast including Tom Ellis, Lucy Liu, and Mark Proksch, the show centered on God and the Devil trapped as cats. Like Snyder’s series, Exploding Kittens was not renewed after its initial run, reportedly due to underwhelming audience numbers.
Good Times Animated Reboot Faces Intense Criticism
The Good Times: Black Again reboot, premiering in April 2024, featured Jay Pharoah, Marsai Martin, and Yvette Nicole Brown as the reimagined Evans family. The series attracted significant controversy for its handling of sensitive themes, drawing vocal condemnation from civil rights organizations including CEMOTAP, the NAACP, and the December 12th Movement. These groups criticized the show’s use of offensive humor and stereotypical depictions, leading to public demonstrations and calls for a boycott. Open letters were sent to Netflix’s executive team, and mounting backlash contributed to the show’s cancellation.
December 2025 Content Exodus
In addition to these cancellations, Netflix will remove 45 movies and TV shows in December 2025. This mass departure is driven primarily by expiring licensing agreements with major film studios and TV networks. Titles leaving include the Austin Powers trilogy, Back to the Future, Beverly Hills Cop, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, The Goonies, Wonka, Inglourious Basterds, Clueless, Paddington, and Downton Abbey on December 1. How I Met Your Mother exits on December 3, while Supernatural, Arrow, and The 100 are among those leaving December 18. The Transformers films depart December 25, and movies like 10 Things I Hate About You, Idiocracy, and Sweet Home Alabama leave December 29. Ready Player One and the entire run of Evil are removed on December 30 and 31, respectively.
New Arrivals and Viewing Options
To counter these removals, Netflix will debut 108 new shows and films in December 2025, including Emily in Paris Season 5, Stranger Things Season 5, CoComelon Lane Season 6, and several other originals. Expired titles may return in future cycles following licensing renegotiations, but no official return dates have been set. Subscribers can use Netflix’s offline download feature to save select titles before they disappear from the platform.
Industry Trends and Outlook
Netflix’s rapid cancellations illustrate a broader shift in the streaming industry toward data-driven renewal decisions. Shows must now achieve strong weekly viewership and engagement to survive. This approach has led to an increasing rate of single-season cancellations in 2025, impacting both animated and live-action originals. Producers and creators face growing pressure to deliver immediate success, with experimental projects and risk-taking less likely to survive beyond a single season. As major IPs and established franchises remain prioritized, the industry’s changing investment philosophy continues to reshape the streaming landscape.