UPDATED (March 14th, 2024): Snowpiercer star Mike O'Malley has broken his silence on the finished 4th season of Snowpiercer, sharing his hopes for the season's eventual release.
Despite Snowpiercer being renewed for Season 4 with filming already complete, there are plenty of questions lingering about its release.
Two years have now passed since Snowpiercer aired its Season 3 finale on TNT in March 2022 following a renewal for Season 4 the previous year. That fourth season was later confirmed to be the last for the drama, but where is it now?
The series is based on the Chris Evans-led movie of the same name, but it is not set under the same continuity. Snowpiercer revolves around passengers of a gigantic train that circles the globe carrying the remaining members of humanity seven years after the world transforms into a frozen wasteland.
Will There Be a Season 4 of Snowpiercer?
In July 2021, Snowpiercer was renewed for a fourth season, and this was many months before Season 3 even premiered in January 2022. Season 4 was later confirmed by Deadline in June 2022 to be the last go-round for the TNT show.
However, in January 2023, Variety confirmed that Snowpiercer Season 4 "will not air" on TNT as planned, leaving its fate rather uncertain.
While the series was initially planned to end in Season 4, Warner Bros. Discovery decided then not to release the next batch of episodes. Variety noted that producer Tomorrow Studios will shop the series at other outlets.
Following the unfortunate development, a TNT spokesperson shared an official statement, admitting that it was a "difficult decision" for the network:
“We can confirm that TNT will not air season four of ‘Snowpiercer. This was a difficult decision, but our admiration for the talented writers, actors and crew who brought ‘Snowpiercer’s’ extraordinary post-apocalyptic world to life remains strong."
The spokesperson then said that they have been working "collaboratively" with Snowpiercer producers to help the series find a new home:
"We have been working collaboratively with the producers since last year to help the series find a new home where fans can continue to enjoy the compelling story and exceptional visual experience. We look forward to working with them on future projects.”
On January 16, 2023, Bloody Disgusting unveiled that all of Season 4 has been filmed already, indicating that the only missing piece in the puzzle is Snowpiercer's new network or streaming service.
UPDATE: As over a year has gone by since TNT left Snowpiercer behind, concern has spread as to whether it will find a new home.
But one of the series' main stars, Sam Roche actor Mike O'Malley, clearly does still have hope that Snowpiercer Season 4 will see the light of day, as he discussed during a December 2023 interview with TVLine.
Asked if the fourth season will ever be released, O'Malley stated he is "trying to get an answer on that” before praising the "incredible storytelling" found in the final episodes from incoming showrunner Paul Zbyszewski.
He rounded out his comments by confirming past reports that the "entire fourth season is in the can," sharing how it is "going to end up somewhere."
Snowpiercer Season 1 made its debut on TNT on May 17, 2020. Season 2 premiered on January 25, 2021, then it was renewed for Season 3 in the same month. The third season was then released on January 24, 2022.
The post-apocalyptic dystopian thriller features a stellar cast led by Jennifer Connelly and Daveed Diggs. Joining the pair are Iddo Goldberg, Katie McGuinness, Rowan Blanchard, and Roberto Urbina. Newcomers Clark Gregg and Michael Aronov are confirmed to be featured in Season 4.
Is Snowpiercer Season 4 the Last?
In June 2022, TNT, via Deadline, confirmed that Snowpiercer Season 4 will be the final season after the outlet revealed that the actors were released to book other jobs after the cast's options were not picked up.
A TNT spokesperson shared the following statement after the final season confirmation:
“We can confirm that 'Snowpiercer' will end after a successful, multi-season run on TNT. Its talented writers, actors and crew took an extraordinary premise and brought it to life in thrilling ways. It was critically acclaimed, had a significant impact on the post-apocalyptic genre and now remains in the hearts and minds of fans forever.”
Despite TNT's cancellation and the confirmation that Season 4 is the show's swan song, Deadline reiterated in January 2023 that Tomorrow Studios is "currently shopping" Snowpiercer's final season, along with two spin-offs (a potential prequel and sequel) to other networks "with the goal to build a franchise."
In the previously discussed interview with TVLine, series veteran Mike O'Malley revealed Season 4 was not written as the final season as they were "hoping that [they'd] keep going." Nonetheless, he was clear the show concludes with a "very hopeful" conclusion that "could be the end:"
"We were actually hoping that we’d keep going, but I think there’s an ending to that where it could be the end, and it’s very hopeful…. So I really, really can’t wait for that show to get out there and for people to see it, because it’s awesome."
Fortunately, this seems to rule out concerns of Snowpiercer closing out its four-season run with a cliffhanger doomed to never be resolved.
That said, if Snowpiercer were to find a new home, the show could theoretically continue beyond Season 4 if its next network or streamer were to be interested in a multi-season run and the cast and crew were still on board for more.
Who Is the Cast of Snowpiercer Season 4?
Snowpiercer Season 4 is expected to retain most of the show's cast members while also introducing fresh faces.
Franchise mainstays Jennifer Connelly and Daveed Diggs are set to return alongside the likes of Iddo Goldberg, Lena Hall, and Sam Otto.
Annalise Basso will not return as LJ Folger after her character died in the Season 3 finale.
Here's a list of the cast members who are set to make a comeback in Season 4:
- Jennifer Connelly - Melanie Cavill
- Daveed Diggs - Andre Layton
- Alison Wright - Ruth Wardell
- Rowan Blanchard - Alexandra "Alex" Cavill
- Iddo Goldberg - Bennett Knox
- Lena Hall - Miss Audrey
- Mickey Sumner - Bess Till
- Sam Otto - John "Oz" Osweiller
- Sheila Vand - Zarah Fahrami
- Mike O'Malley - Sam Roche
- Roberto Urbina - Javier "Javi" de la Torre
- Jaylin Fletcher - Miles
In March 2022, Deadline shared that Season 4 will add two new actors to its star-studded cast, namely Agents of SHIELD alum Clark Gregg and The Drop's Michael Aronov.
As it stands, the first three seasons of Snowpiercer are available to stream on Netflix.
That said, some have speculated that Netflix could save the day and serve as the new home of the scripted drama series.