Netflix reverses Season 2 renewal for Queen Sono

Netflix has reversed its decision on the Queen Sono Season 2 renewal.

South African news outlet Channel24 has revealed that Netflix canceled Queen Sono Season 2 despite initially renewing it. Queen Sono was the streaming service’s first African original series. Actress Pearl Thusi starred in the leading role as a highly-trained spy.

It’s not surprising that the show was renewed for more as it quickly amassed a vocal fanbase, and it achieved high critical ratings, scoring a 91% on critical review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. According to the outlet, Netflix’s cancellation decision stems from problems brought on by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“Channel24 has learnt that due to a complex set of production challenges brought on by among other things COVID-19, season two won’t be taking place after all.”

It’s worth noting that the publication said the public health crisis was not the only reason for the renewal cancellation. The season shot across 37 different locations for its first outing, including Kenya, Nigeria, and Zanzibar.

It was likely costly, which could have contributed to the costs. If the show was already expensive, to begin with, and then they had to add on more expenses due to the coronavirus safety measures, then it might have just become too pricey for Netflix to continue financing the project.

Netflix confirmed to Channel24 that canceling the series was a difficult decision and that they were very proud of the Diprente team for bringing their vision to life on the service.

More from Netflix

• Snap your fingers, Mattel to release Wednesday dolls and collector sets in 2024!
• Show Snob’s Premiere Review: Watch, Pass, Wait and See (December 4, 2023)
• Show Snob’s Premiere Review: Watch, Pass, Wait and See (November 27, 2023)
• 5 TV Show Advent Calendars you’ll want this holiday season (2023)!
• Miss Face Off? 2 seasons are available to watch on Netflix!

“Netflix is also grateful to the amazing efforts shown by the cast and crew for their stellar efforts in creating this show for our members around the world. We’ll continue to work closely with South Africa’s creative industry to keep producing more compelling ‘Made-in-South Africa’ stories,” reads a statement from the streamer.

Director and creator Kagiso Lediga also released a statement to Channel24, saying, “We wrote a beautiful story that spanned the continent but unfortunately  could not be executed in these current trying times.”

Show star Thusi also commented that she was “proud of the work we did, but everything happens for a reason. I am excited about what the future holds.”

Queen Sono will join the ranks of other Netflix shows like The Society, I’m Not Okay With This and GLOW to be canceled due to COVID-19-related reasons despite originally scoring additional season renewals. Other networks have also followed suit, with Showtime canceling the critically-appraised On Becoming a God in Central Florida.

Several other South African projects are slated for future release on Netflix, including How to Ruin Christmas, Blood & Water Season 2, Kings of Joburg, Riding with Sugar and JIVA!.

Are you upset with Netflix’s decision to cancel Queen Sono Season 2? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.

The first season of Queen Sono is now streaming on Netflix.