15 Netflix’s Biggest Original Bombs That Missed the Mark
Netflix has poured huge resources into original movies and shows, and not every big swing connected. Some titles launched with major stars, ambitious concepts, or sprawling worldbuilding, only to stall out quickly or get quietly shelved after one season. Production costs, complicated shoots, and tough release windows often played a bigger role than viewers might realize.
This list looks at notable originals that faltered, whether through rapid cancellations, costly course corrections, or releases that arrived with fanfare and then faded. You will find cast details, episode counts, production notes, and timeline facts that show how each project unfolded behind the scenes.
‘Marco Polo’ (2014–2016)
The historical epic ran for two seasons with 20 episodes and followed the Venetian explorer at the Mongol court. It was created by John Fusco and starred Lorenzo Richelmy, Benedict Wong, and Joan Chen, with large sets and extensive period costumes that required a sizable production footprint. Netflix released the first season in December 2014 and the second in July 2016.
The series marked one of the streamer’s earliest attempts at a global prestige drama. After season two the show was canceled in 2016, and its scale and costs became a frequent industry reference point for how expensive early streaming-era originals could be.
‘The Get Down’ (2016–2017)
The music drama from Baz Luhrmann and Stephen Adly Guirgis premiered in two parts and totaled 11 episodes. Set in the South Bronx in the late 1970s, it featured Justice Smith, Herizen Guardiola, and Shameik Moore, and blended narrative with archival elements and performance numbers. Part one arrived in August 2016 and part two followed in April 2017.
The production experienced schedule changes and a complex post pipeline due to heavy music and choreography integration. Despite a devoted fanbase, Netflix canceled the series after its initial run, and it remains a case study in how intricate period musicals strain budgets and timelines on streaming.
‘Jupiter’s Legacy’ (2021)
Based on the comics by Mark Millar and Frank Quitely, this superhero series premiered in May 2021 with Josh Duhamel, Leslie Bibb, and Ben Daniels. It traced a multigenerational team with storylines split between the early origins and present day conflicts, and it used extensive costuming and visual effects to stage powers and large scale fights.
Behind the scenes the show underwent leadership changes during production and required substantial reshoots to align tone and scope. Netflix ended the series after one season and shifted attention to related Millarworld projects, including the animated spin on ‘Super Crooks’.
‘Cowboy Bebop’ (2021)
The live action adaptation of the beloved anime debuted in November 2021 with John Cho, Mustafa Shakir, and Daniella Pineda. It delivered 10 episodes with original composer Yoko Kanno returning to craft the score, and it recreated signature locations and ships with a mix of practical builds and visual effects.
The show was canceled soon after release, which halted plans for ongoing arcs that had been seeded in season one. Its quick turnaround from premiere to cancellation made it one of the most high profile one and done Netflix experiments.
‘Resident Evil’ (2022)
This series reimagined the video game franchise with a dual timeline structure set in New Raccoon City and a near future ravaged by an outbreak. It premiered in July 2022 and ran eight episodes, starring Lance Reddick, Ella Balinska, and Tamara Smart, with creature work and action sequences that leaned on heavy effects.
Netflix canceled the show later in 2022, ending plans for additional seasons that would have further explored Umbrella’s experiments and the broader post outbreak world. The swift decision placed it alongside other franchise adaptations that struggled to secure long term runs on the platform.
‘Cursed’ (2020)
Adapted from the illustrated novel by Tom Wheeler and Frank Miller, this fantasy series followed Nimue’s path toward becoming the Lady of the Lake. It launched in July 2020 with 10 episodes and starred Katherine Langford, Devon Terrell, and Gustaf Skarsgård, pairing location shoots with large scale medieval sets and armor.
Production took place in the United Kingdom with elaborate stunts and creature design that expanded Arthurian myth. Netflix canceled the series after one season, which paused planned storylines involving the Fey and the rise of a new king.
‘Blockbuster’ (2022)
This workplace comedy centered on the last store in the once dominant rental chain. It premiered in November 2022 with 10 episodes and featured Randall Park, Melissa Fumero, and J. B. Smoove, using a single camera format that focused on staff and customer hijinks inside the store.
The show arrived with a nostalgic hook and an ensemble built from well known sitcom talent. Netflix opted not to continue after the first season, closing the doors on a concept that had been designed for multi season retail shenanigans.
‘Space Force’ (2020–2022)
Created by Greg Daniels and Steve Carell, the series launched in May 2020 and returned in February 2022 for a second season. It starred Steve Carell, John Malkovich, Ben Schwartz, and Tawny Newsome, and it centered on a new military branch with storylines set across bases, labs, and Washington offices.
Between seasons the production moved to Vancouver to reduce costs and streamline the schedule. After two seasons Netflix canceled the show, which ended further exploration of its workplace dynamics and evolving mission brief.
‘Gypsy’ (2017)
The psychological thriller premiered in June 2017 and delivered 10 episodes starring Naomi Watts as a therapist who becomes entangled in her patients’ lives. The cast included Billy Crudup, Sophie Cookson, and Karl Glusman, with a story set in New York that leaned on sleek interiors and character driven tension.
Netflix canceled the series shortly after its debut, halting plans for the next chapter that had been mapped out in writers room discussions. The abrupt end underscored how quickly the platform could pivot after evaluating early performance.
‘The Cloverfield Paradox’ (2018)
This feature dropped on the same night it was announced, immediately following a major football broadcast in February 2018. Directed by Julius Onah and produced by J. J. Abrams, it stars Gugu Mbatha Raw, David Oyelowo, and Daniel Brühl and folds into the broader ‘Cloverfield’ universe with a space station experiment gone wrong.
Netflix acquired worldwide distribution and released the film day and date without a theatrical window. The surprise strategy became a milestone in streaming era marketing, but the movie did not evolve into an ongoing branch of the franchise on the service.
‘Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire’ (2023)
Zack Snyder’s original space saga opened in December 2023 with Sofia Boutella, Djimon Hounsou, and Ed Skrein among a large ensemble. Netflix positioned it as the first half of a two part story set across multiple planets with extensive worldbuilding, production design, and large scale action.
A second film followed in 2024, and longer versions of both parts arrived later with added scenes that expanded character histories and lore. The project also seeded concept art, behind the scenes features, and tie in materials that detailed ships, factions, and costuming choices across the new universe.
‘The Last Days of American Crime’ (2020)
Adapted from the graphic novel by Rick Remender and Greg Tocchini, this crime thriller arrived in June 2020. It stars Edgar RamÃrez, Anna Brewster, and Michael Pitt and runs well over two hours as it follows a heist plotted before the government activates a signal that would stop criminal intent.
The production shot internationally and staged large action beats with vehicle work and practical effects. The film did not lead to additional entries, and it stands as a one off adaptation within Netflix’s slate of graphic novel based projects.
‘The I-Land’ (2019)
This limited series premiered in September 2019 with seven episodes that tracked strangers waking up on a beach with no memory. Created by Neil LaBute, it stars Natalie Martinez, Kate Bosworth, and Alex Pettyfer, and mixes survival elements with science fiction turns revealed across the run.
Conceived as a closed ended story, the show wrapped its central mystery within its initial batch. It did not continue beyond its first release window, and it is often cited when discussing short run Netflix experiments that arrive and conclude in a single drop.
‘The Irregulars’ (2021)
Set in the world of Sherlock Holmes, this supernatural take launched in March 2021 with eight episodes. Created by Tom Bidwell, it stars Thaddea Graham, Darci Shaw, and Henry Lloyd Hughes, and it filmed across the Liverpool region with period production design that incorporated eerie casework.
Netflix canceled the series the same spring, ending plans to expand the Baker Street mythos through additional cases. The quick decision kept it to a one season footprint despite infrastructure that could have supported more Victorian mysteries.
‘1899’ (2022)
From the creators of ‘Dark’, this multilingual mystery premiered in November 2022 with eight episodes. It centers on a steamship crossing the Atlantic where strange signals and layered secrets entangle passengers from across Europe, and it was produced with a cutting edge virtual production stage at Studio Babelsberg known as the Dark Bay.
The series was canceled in January 2023, preventing the planned multi season arc from unfolding. Its blend of languages and reliance on in camera LED volume work made it a high profile technical showcase that ended after its opening chapter.
Share the Netflix originals you think missed the mark in the comments so we can compare notes and keep the discussion going.