Bosch: Legacy recently aired its final episode and many are wondering why Amazon decided to cancel the series.
The crime procedural was a sequel to the original Prime Video series Bosch, based on Michael Connelly's novels about an LAPD detective named Harry Bosch (played by Titus Welliver).
When Bosch was cancelled after Season 7, Bosch: Legacy continued the story for a further three seasons, before it concluded with Season 3 in April 2025.
Why Was Bosch: Legacy Cancelled After Season 3?
Bosch: Legacy was confirmed to have been cancelled in September 2024, months ahead of its Season 3 premiere.
Bosch: Legacy was always a strong ratings contender for Amazon Freevee, with the first season bringing in more viewers to the platform than any season of Bosch (per Deadline).
The lack of a Season 4 for Bosch: Legacy seemed to come as a surprise, at least to star Titus Welliver, who told The Hollywood Reporter that they'd been "talking about the next season" during filming for Season 3:
"We’d already been in conversations midway towards the end of the season talking about the next season and ideas [for season four], and we were getting very excited about the prospect. I got a call from them and they said they’re not going forward. It was a pretty brief conversation. We all expressed our disappointment, but we’ve all been doing this long enough to know that could happen."
While a distinct reason for Bosch: Legacy's cancellation wasn't provided by Amazon, Welliver suspected it was due to "budgetary restrictions:"
"Sometimes it’s a myriad of reasons that I don’t necessarily understand. I do understand that, given the economy and things like that, there are a lot of studios that have been experiencing budgetary restrictions. But, as far as that, I’ve never had a conversation where I sat down and said, “Alright, tell me from point A to point B what it’s based on.' "
The actor added that he "would not be shocked if at some point there was a revisitation," particularly if "the fans have anything to say about it."
Will The Bosch Universe Continue?
Bosch: Legacy's Season 3 finale did not provide the closure many may have hoped for from a series finale. However, any fans who were disappointed at the lack of a goodbye for Harry Bosch need not worry, as Amazon already has plans in motion for further stories in the Bosch world.
In March 2024, Amazon announced a Bosch spin-off series starring Maggie Q's Renee Ballard (who was introduced in Bosch: Legacy's final episode) was moving ahead, drawing on Connelly's novels.
The series follows Ballard as the head of the LAPD's new cold case unit, and it also opens the door for Welliver to return as Harry Bosch in a mentor-type role.
Welliver told The Direct in an interview that he was "very excited" for the new Bosch spin-off and that Maggie Q is "exquisite:"
"Then with 'Ballard,' then you'll be diving into her world, which is the cold case world, and how she operates within a slightly poorly or underfunded unit and a bunch of a host of new characters. So I'm very excited. Maggie Q is exquisite in her interpretation of the character."
A release date for Ballard has not been determined, but a Prime Video promo has confirmed that it will debut in Summer 2025.
