David Farnor | On 13, Dec 2016

Netflix’s Marco Polo will not return for another season.

The globe-trotting drama, inspired by the adventures of the famed explorer in the 13th century, first premiered in 2014, marking Netflix’s expanding focus beyond making original series solely based in the US.

Created by John Fusco, it took its cue from Marco’s early years in the court of Kublai Khan. Despite its backing by the Weinstein Co. and a hefty budget, though, the epic met with a lukewarm response from critics, while its second season, and a Christmas special, generated less buzz than most of Netflix’s returning shows, such as House of Cards or Narcos.

Now, Netflix has confirmed that the show will not be renewed for any more episodes.

“We want to thank and are grateful to our partners on Marco Polo from the actors, whose performances were enthralling and top-notch; to the committed producers, including John Fusco, Dan Minahan, Patrick Macmanus, and their crew, who poured their hearts into the series; and of course Harvey, David and our friends at TWC, who were great collaborators from start to finish,” Cindy Holland, Netflix VP of Original Content, said in a statement.

“Netflix has been incredible to give us the room to make a series with a cast true to every principle of diversity. It’s a bold network that allows you to do that and support us in the way that Netflix did,” added Harvey Weinstein, Co-Chairman of The Weinstein Company. “As many people know, Asian history and the world of martial arts have fascinated me for all of my career – I’ve made many movies around these topics and this genre, and now this TV show I’m so proud of. John has been a great partner and we’re both fascinated to continue exploring this exciting period in history on future projects together.”

The Weinstein Co. certainly won’t be left with nothing on its plate: it has a number of small-screen projects on the cards at the moment, including two major series at Amazon – a David O. Russell programme, starring Robert De Niro and Julianne Moore, and the new show from Mad Men’s Matt Weiner.

Fusco, too, is already looking to his next project.

“Harvey and I have a love for this kind of history – we had a fantastic cast, fantastic creative team and crew, and shooting in Malaysia was a privilege,” he commented. “We’re working on an idea right now in a similar space that we’re very excited about.”

Add to Watchlist