Netflix is offering up a first-look tease at the final season of Manifest after the streamer resurrected the series following its cancellation at NBC. Thanks to the power of the show’s fanbase and its first three seasons surging on the streaming platform, Manifest will be returning to wrap up its mysteries with 20-episodes.
While no official release date has been revealed, Netflix Geeked Week released a small clip from the show that is teasing what’s to come and seems to indicate that the first part of the final season will drop this fall. Some recent reports have indicated that Manifest may debut in November and it looks like the 20-episodes will be released in blocks of ten split into two parts. You can view the first-look tease at the top of this story!
NBC announced the cancellation of Manifest on June 14, 2021. Thankfully, NBC was on board with shopping Manifest, seeing how well it was doing on Netflix, the streamer felt like the best option. Then there was the almost immediate fan reaction. The fans started #SaveManifest and it was better than any PR campaign generated by the network.
Despite Manifest hitting number one on streaming and it not being merely sampled but watched in full, there were still obstacles to securing a return at Netflix. The Netflix deal wasn’t immediate because WBTV had already sold Manifest internationally in several key territories and that was an initial stumbling block for the streamer. According to Netflix head of global TV Bela Bajaria, “What we really strive for is to have great shows available to all our members globally. We really want all our members to have the full benefit of the service, so we wanted Warner Bros. to take the time to get all those rights globally.”
Another concern was the lapsed cast contracts. This is often a point of no return since actors move on to new jobs quickly, especially in TV. Netflix reached out to the main cast’s representatives promptly and, surprisingly, they were all pretty much game for a return. The actors extended their options and even as the extensions began to expire, they were still willing to make their new deals for more Manifest to work.
But why did Netflix save Manifest, leading all the way to this first-look? Was it the #SaveManifest campaign? It helps, but no. Was it the petition or letters or media coverage? Added bonus, but not it either. As it turns out, Manifest got a second life based on hard numbers that Netflix typically doesn’t reveal. The platform, in a rare move, told “The Hollywood Reporter” that 25 million accounts in the U.S. and Canada watched the show in its first 28 days on the service. The series also relentlessly stayed in the platform’s Top 10 for 71 days since its debut and was number one for 19 of those days. The show’s completion rate, something Netflix is also usually guarded about, was very strong and meant well for its worldwide expansion. The audience was staying with the show and not just sampling it. That’s why Netflix saved Manifest.
Manifest focuses on Montego Air Flight 828, which landed safely after a turbulent but routine flight. The crew and passengers are relieved to be safe but in the span of those few hours, the world had aged five years and their friends, families, and colleagues, after mourning their loss, had given up hope and moved on. Now, faced with the impossible, they’re all given a second chance. But as their new realities become clear, a deeper mystery unfolds, and some of the returned passengers soon realize they might be meant for something greater than they ever thought possible. The series stars Josh Dallas, Jack Messina, Athena Karkanis, Melissa Roxburgh, JR Ramirez, Luna Blaise, Parveen Kaur, and Matt Long.
Are YOU excited for Manifest to return after seeing this first-look tease?