Why won't there be The Dragon Prince season 8?
Fans are wondering why this beloved Netflix fantasy series is ending with season 7.
Netflix's animated fantasy series The Dragon Prince is coming to an end with season 7, which is now streaming. However some fans are still hoping that the show will return for more seasons... so is there any scope for more?
Premiering in 2018, The Dragon Prince is seen by many as a spiritual successor to the beloved Avatar: The Last Airbender franchise, sharing several key members of the same creative team. It draws inspiration from popular fantasy tropes in the tradition of Lord of the Rings and Dungeons & Dragons, and over the past seven seasons it's attracted a loyal audience.
Why is The Dragon Prince ending after season 7?
At seven seasons, The Dragon Prince has had an impressive run. That being said, there's a reason why some fans are dissatisfied with the show ending – the show's creators have publicly discussed the possibility of a third phase that would continue the story through to season 1o, raising hopes for more adventures in the world of Xadia.
As it stands, seasons 1 to 3 cover the first phase of The Dragon Prince's story. At that point the show was renewed for an impressive four more seasons, giving the creators plenty of room to plan the second phase in advance. That means they also had time to write a conclusive ending to season 7 - but in an ideal world, that conclusion would lead into a third arc.
In a 2022 interview with Screenrant, the show's co-creator Aaron Ehasz said, "The Dragon Prince saga has a very specific endpoint at [season] 7. But also, we have a big story in our brains."
That hint of a "big story" is what fans are hoping to see next, spurred on by convention appearances this year, where the showrunners dropped more hints about their plans for theoretical future seasons. (There's also the possibility of those stories being told in another format like spin-off novels.)
Season 7 is currently being described as The Dragon Prince's "final" season, but there's still some hope for a renewal if those episodes drum up enough enthusiasm from Netflix audiences.
Otherwise though, the situation isn't too grim. Rather than being cancelled before their time, The Dragon Prince's writers knew in advance that the show might end with season 7, so we can be assured that the new season doesn't conclude on a cliffhanger.
The Dragon Prince is available to stream on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
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Authors
Gavia Baker-Whitelaw is a freelance critic and entertainment journalist specialising in geek culture, TV and film. She has written for numerous outlets including Empire, TV Guide, Wired and Vulture, and hosts the film podcast Overinvested.
