The drama from The Weinstein Co, ‘Marco Polo’ reached a dead end after running for two seasons. Was it the falling viewership or the MeToo allegations against Harvey Weinstein that brought the show to such a pass?
Marco Polo became the first Netflix original to not be renewed for a third season in 2016 Produced by The Weinstein Co. The series was a carnival of a global cast that included Lorenzo Richelmy in the titular role with Benedict Wong as Kublai Khan. After muted reviews for the first season, the second was quiet and fuss-free. How was the ‘Marco Polo’ Season 2 ending? What are fans saying about ‘Marco Polo’ Season 3 on Reddit? Is there a ‘Marco Polo’ Season 3 script yet? Is ‘Marco Polo’ Season 3 on HBO? Scroll down for everything ‘Marco Polo’!
Highlights —
- Why was ‘Marco Polo’ cancelled after two seasons?
- What Harvey Weinstein said on the cancellation of ‘Marco Polo’ Season 3
- Will season 3 of ‘Marco Polo’ ever happen?
Why was ‘Marco Polo’ cancelled after two seasons?
Netflix and TWC made a joint decision to not continue with another season. It is reported that ‘Marco Polo’ was responsible for a loss of $200 million to Netflix. We all know that the streaming giant doesn’t give a second chance to shows that don’t do business.
Cindy Holland, then vice-president of the original content on Netflix, released a statement saying, “We want to thank and are grateful to our partners for 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 [Weinstein], David [Glasser] and our friends at TWC, who were great collaborators from start to finish”.
Unfortunately, because of its cancellation, we will never know if there was indeed a ‘Marco Polo’ Season 3 script. There has been some talk about ‘Marco Polo’ Season 3 on Reddit, but fans just have to let the show go, at least for now. They are still hoping for some other network to pick the show up. For instance, we may be able to watch ‘Marco Polo’ Season 3 on HBO? There has also been a petition by fans asking for a proper ‘Marco Polo’ Season 2 ending to the show.
What Harvey Weinstein said on the cancellation of Marco Polo season 3
The then co-chairman of Weinstein Co. Harvey Weinstein cheered up the creator of the series John Fusco. They both jointly teased that they would soon be returning for another similarly themed drama.
Harvey was heard saying, “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. 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”.
Later Fusco added to the conversation saying, “Harvey and I have a love for this kind of history —
We had a fantastic cast, a fantastic creative team and crew, and shooting in Malaysia was a privilege. We’re working on an idea right now in a similar space that we’re very excited about.”
For all we know, the ‘Marco Polo’ Season 3 script may just transform into another show altogether.
Will season 3 of ‘Marco Polo’ ever happen?
We can’t lose hope on ‘Marco Polo’ just because the show wasn’t popular in America. Netflix had made the show for a global audience, and it was quite popular in Asian nations.
Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos had told THR in a roundtable discussion with other executives, that ‘Marco Polo’ had done “what it was supposed to do”.
His words drizzled hopes for a season three, when he said, “Marco Polo is one of those shows for us [where viewership doesn’t matter to international audiences].”
He added, “It’s hugely popular all throughout Asia and Europe, and there’s a lot of focus on if your neighbours might be watching it. And it’s really irrelevant because it’s doing what it’s supposed to do”.
Fans have been persistent about the return of ‘Marco Polo’ Season 3 on Reddit. According to them, ‘Marco Polo’ Season 2 ending was quite unsatisfactory, and the makers should have at least concluded the show properly.
But after the MeToo incident that started with accusations of sexual assault on Harvey Weinstein, The Weinstein Co filed for bankruptcy. So even if Netflix brings the third season of ‘Marco Polo’, it would not be Harvey Weinstein’s.
Do you want ‘Marco Polo’ to be revived for a season 3? Let us know in the comments box below.
Is Netflix’s ‘Marco Polo’ historically accurate?
According to Mongolian historians, much of the plot plays fast and loose with the facts. Batsukh Otgonsereenen, who spent 10 years researching his book “The History of Kublai Khan”, told AFP: “From a historical standpoint 20 percent of the film was actual history and 80 percent fiction.”
Why is ‘Marco Polo’ so famous?
Marco Polo remained abroad for 24 years. Though not the first European to explore China—his father and uncle, among others, had already been there—he became famous for his travels thanks to a popular book he co-authored while languishing in a Genoese prison.
Why did they cancel ‘Marco Polo’?
On December 12, 2016, Netflix announced they had cancelled ‘Marco Polo’ after two seasons. Sources told “The Hollywood Reporter” that the series’ two seasons resulted in a $200 million loss for Netflix, and the decision to cancel the series was jointly taken by Netflix and The Weinstein Company.
