Why won't there be a The Umbrella Academy season 5?

If you've already watched the show's ending, you'll know that the events of the finale would certainly be pretty difficult to come back from for the Hargreeves siblings...

So, why isn't The Umbrella Academy season 5 on the cards, and could there be a potential spin-off? Read on for everything you need to know.

Why won't there be a The Umbrella Academy season 5?

Speaking to People, cast members Ritu Arya and Justin H Min said it was the cast's decision to end things with the fourth instalment.

Arya revealed that showrunner Steve Blackman approached them about a potential fifth season, but that they decided to wrap things up with the current story.

"I think there was more to explore, especially for me, with the Lila/Five stuff in the subway, all these different worlds," she said. "I would've loved to have got to explore that so much more. I think it's such a cool concept, but it goes so quickly, and it's exactly what it's supposed to be."

"So many things happened, obviously, the main one being the pandemic and the strike and it delaying things," Min added.

"We almost spent a year gap between each of the seasons. Someone like Aidan, he's literally grown right before our eyes.

"We knew at a certain point it was going to become unsustainable for us to draw this process out. I think ending it at four was the right decision and closing up all those storylines and questions that fans have had over the years."

Interestingly, the final season is actually shorter than had originally been intended, with Blackman initially hoping to tell the story over ten episodes rather than the eventual six.

"At the time, it seemed like the right amount," he explained about the shift to a shorter season. "And, you know, I had to do a little bit of compressing because we thought it’d be a bit more material.

"But it turned out to be a perfect number. I really feel like, could we have done more? Yes, but I think the six we have are just the perfect way to end the season."

Will there be a spin-off of The Umbrella Academy?

Even though The Umbrella Academy has come to an end, there were still plenty of questions left up in the air, meaning there's plenty of material for spin-offs.

Blackman previously told RadioTimes.com of season 4: "I really hope it's not the end of The Umbrella Academy, or the universe of The Umbrella Academy."

Hinting at future spin-offs, he added: "I think there's a lot more story to be told with other characters as well, not just this family. I think Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá, who created it, have a lot of thoughts as well. So I hope it isn't the end, but we'll see."

Meanwhile, speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, he added: "It is really up to Netflix, at the end of the day — and we’ve talked about it, and it’s a lot of variables in play."

He continued: "I think there’s a great story in young Hazel [Cameron Britton] and Cha-Cha [Mary J Blige] down the road. There’s obviously the Commission. I think there’s wonderful stories also with some other secondary characters.

"Then what’s wonderful about our world is we could cross over with our main characters anytime we want to, because in a wonderful time-travelling world, you can end up with anyone anytime you want."

The series is based on Way and Bá's comic book series of the same name, which has run for a total of 32 issues, so there's definitely the possibility for more stories should Netflix change their current stance – as Blackman says, we'll just have to wait and see.

The Umbrella Academy season 4 is streaming now on Netflix – sign up from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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