Netflix’s Territory bites the dust despite being ANZ’s biggest returnable project to date

There will be no second season of Netflix’s Territory

The Australian production sector has been dealt another blow in its ongoing battle to have a more equitable playing field with international streamers as Netflix ANZ confirmed that it would not be renewing Territory, a key top-ranking original, produced by Ronde Media and Easy Tiger.

The high-end neo-Western, Succession-themed six-part series set on a cattle farm in the Northern Territory was commissioned in 2023 and launched globally in late October with immediate success. The series reached the second position on Netflix’s Global Top 10 English TV shows list within the first week of launch and attracted 6.4 million views in its first four days of screening. The series also secured a Top 10 position in 74 countries and number 1 in 11 including Australia and New Zealand.

Sources close to the production were confident that the series would be renewed for a second season, with the narrative ending season 1 on a cliffhanger. It is understood that the significant ensemble cast and available returning crew and creatives were in place and poised for the second season to be greenlit.

Sources suggest that Netflix had made the decision not to renew the show weeks ago but were forced to confirm after media leaks today. Netflix’s director of content for ANZ, Que Min Luu, issued a brief statement and Netflix would not be drawn on the reasons for the show’s cancellation.

“We are incredibly thankful to have had the chance to work with the wonderful cast and production team to bring Territory and the stunning Australian outback into the homes of millions around the world. Although we won’t be continuing with another season, we eagerly anticipate working with all of them again in the future,” Luu said.

Industry speculation has suggested that production timing and Netflix scheduling issues affected the decision, but Netflix would not clarify what the issues were driving the decision.

Territory attracted government funding support from agencies Screen Territory, which contributed A$1.3m (US$830,00) via its Production Attraction Incentive Program (PAIP), and the South Australian Film Commission (SAFC), which provided A$7m in funding. SAFC also provided support for post-production under the South Australian Post-Production, Digital & Visual Effects (PDV) rebate.

The series and its promotion also featured in a significant tourism campaign for Tourism NT in partnership with Netflix. Screen Territory MD Jennie Hughes said she was “deeply disappointed series two was not going ahead.”

In a joint statement, Easy Tiger CEO Rob Gibson and Ronde Media CEO and co- creator of the series, Ben Davies, said: “We’re incredibly proud of the series and its success, and grateful to the amazing writers, cast, and creatives.”

According to Netflix, Territory represented the largest local screen productions filmed in both the NT and South Australia. The series also generated 200 jobs for cast and crew during production.

Speaking in Sydney during the week of the series launch Netflix co-CEO  Greg Peters said Netflix’s message to Australian creatives was that they can “tell their incredible stories right here in Australia. They don’t need to go to Hollywood, they don’t need to go somewhere else, but they can tell hugely ambitious stories, authentic stories at significant scale right here, and we will help them find an amazing audience in Australia, in New Zealand, and around the world.”