Wynonna Earp season 3 coming to Netflix; why this matters for season 4

There’s been quite the wait in regards to the future of Wynonna Earp — really, saying ‘quite the wait” doesn’t even feel like it’s doing it justice. It’s been excruciating, long, and difficult trying to figure out just what’s going to happen with the future of this show. We know that Syfy wants two more seasons — they have ordered them. We know that Earpers are eager to sink their teeth into more. The big issue has been money, and the shocking way that it’s played out is almost unprecedented when it comes to modern-day TV. It’s extremely rare to get a situation in which a production company (in this case IDW Entertainment) is unable to fulfill an episode commitment because of dollars and cents.

Yet, we know that Wynonna Earp season 3 is coming to Netflix on July 16, and we can’t stress enough how much this matters. One of the reasons why this show has struggled to financially justify more seasons from the studio end is a proper international licensing agreement. They need to find ways in order to earn money from all over the world in order to further justify costs — they had that with Netflix for the first two seasons, but as of earlier this year, there was no agreement for the third season. That’s since changed.

We should note that season 3 having a licensing agreement by no means guarantees anything when it comes to a season 4 or season 5. Nonetheless, it does show that there are some things being worked out and if a proper international distribution model is found, maybe that brings Wynonna Earp to a place where another season can be feasible.

For more thoughts in regards to the future of Wynonna Earp, be sure to check out our video discussion below! That video was recorded shortly after the news of the series’ production difficulties came out earlier this year. Once you watch it, remember to subscribe to CarterMatt on YouTube and view our official series playlist.

Why isn’t the show able to air without licensing?

The truth is that while Wynonna Earp is enormously popular in terms of its diehard fans, it still doesn’t necessarily generate huge stateside ratings. Last season averaged a 0.1 rating in the 18-49 demographic and then just over 470,000 live viewers — while these numbers are stronger when you factor in DVR viewership, they are still indicative of the era we’re in. Basically there are seemingly hundreds of different programming options at all times, and studios are having to get more creative in order to fund their shows. It’s not just about how well you perform in America; it’s instead about how many viewers you can reach globally and what your total buyers are. That’s where you make some of that oh-so-valuable coin back.

If there is official word on a Wynonna Earp season 4, we’ll  be here to let you know. We continue to remain cautiously optimistic that we’ll hear something on the future of the series before too long; that seems to be a sentiment echoed by executive producer Emily Andras.

Are you still feeling reasonably optimistic in terms of what the future for Wynonna Earp could be? Share right now in the attached comments, and come back soon for some other news. (Photo: Syfy.)