“That Story Cannot End There”: 'The OA' Gets Surprising Update From Jason Isaacs

While most streaming services get a bad reputation for canceling fan-favorite shows like Westworld, The Winchesters, and Mindhunter, Netflix gets it even worse for canceling fan-favorite shows in their infancy. Sometimes, fan backlash can save a show from getting canceled outright, either by it getting a smaller final season like Superman & Lois, or getting shopped to another platform. In most cases, however, the series stays dead. But that isn’t the case for The OA.

Six years ago, the sci-fi series was unceremoniously canceled by Netflix, and fans weren’t happy. The series, co-created by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, was widely loved by fans for a gripping plot, supernatural elements, and fantastical yet grounded storytelling. Its cancellation also left fans on a major cliffhanger at the end of Season 2. But it seems that the creators are quite adamant about finishing their story as Jason Isaacs, who played antagonist Dr. Hunte, recently revealed on Jo Whiley’s BBC radio show: “That story cannot end there.” Isaacs further stated,

“Zal and Brit and I had dinner last week in Los Angeles, and there’s no chance for letting it go. That’s all I can say. Not because I’m keeping secrets from you, but because we will not let it go.”

What Is ‘The OA’ About?

The series followed Prairie Johnson (Marling), a young woman who returns home after a seven-year disappearance. Now with restored sight and the new identity of The OA (or The Original Angel), she assembles a group of five locals, to whom she reveals her mysterious past. The OA asks for their help to save other missing individuals by opening a portal to another dimension. Along with Isaacs and Marling, the series also cast power-packed talents like Emory Cohen, Scott Wilson, Phyllis Smith, Alice Krige, Patrick Gibson, Brendan Meyer, Brandon Perea, and Ian Alexander. Also rounding out the cast are Sharon Van Etten, Paz Vega, Will Brill, Chloë Levine, and Kingsley Ben-Adir.

The series was widely praised by fans and critics alike, with Seasons 1 and 2 enjoying Rotten Tomatoes scores of 76% and 84%, respectively. Rather than poor viewership numbers or any behind-the-scenes mess, the show’s cancellation was driven by the streamer’s need to cut costs and focus on productions that were more effective in attracting new subscribers.

While we wait for any further updates on the beloved series, you can check out the first two seasons of The OA on Netflix and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.