The journey of “Marco Polo” on Netflix just ended after it cancelled season 3 on Tuesday. Netflix Vice President of Original Content Cindy Holland thanked the cast and crew of the period drama based on the few years of Marco Polo in Kublai Khan’s court, but she did not give a reason for the cancellation.
Netflix launched the drama series on the 13th century merchant and traveler in 2014 as the first Netflix original series developed in the U.S. for the international market. The John Fusco creation had high viewer numbers in season 1 but suffered from lesser viewers in season 2 which premiered in July, Deadline reported.
“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,” Holland said.
Weinstein Co. and Electus produced “Marco Polo” with a high budget of $90 million for season 1. To produce season 1, Weinstein hired 400 workers for construction work and another 160 for the series’ art department, Variety noted.
“Marco Polo,” which starred Lorenzo Richelmy as the Italian explorer and Benedict Wong as Kublai Khan, joins “Bloodline,” “Hemlock Grove” and “Lillyhhammer” as one of the few original series cancelled by Netflix. Variety reviewer Brian Lowry pointed out in 2014 that despite the show’s scope, scale and show of flesh, “Marco Polo” showed only a sporadic pulse. It was fun on its own terms, but lacking in qualities which makes a series worth bingeing which are hallmarks of Netflix shows streamed.
Despite the cancellation, Fusco, also the executive producer of “Marco Polo,” said he and Harvey Weinstein, co-chairman of Weinstein Co., are working on an idea “in a similar space.” Would “Marco Polo” resurface in another streaming site?