The Real Reason Anne With An E Was Canceled

Despite fans' best efforts, "Anne with an E" Season 4 is not happening any time soon. There were petitions, hashtag campaigns, and even big stars like Ryan Reynolds and Sam Smith joining the good fight on social media, but it was to no avail. In 2019, the original Netflix series (which is based on Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery's classic novel "Anne of Green Gables") was officially canceled after season 3.

A joint statement from the Canadian Broadcast Company and Netflix read, "We've been thrilled to bring the quintessentially Canadian story of 'Anne with an E' to viewers around the world. We're thankful to producers Moira Walley-Beckett and Miranda de Pencier and to the talented cast and crew for their incredible work in sharing Anne's story with a new generation. We hope fans of the show love this final season as much as we do, and that it brings a satisfying conclusion to Anne's journey." 

So, they loved it, but canceled it. How frustrating. While the cast has moved on — the actress who played Marilla showed up in the "Downton Abbey" movie, for example — there are still a lot of questions surrounding "Anne with an E," and why it was really shown the door.

Netflix's progressive adaptation of the "Anne of Green Gables" got good reviews. So, what happened? At first, it seemed like the show was canceled because it hadn't found a large enough audience. After fans spoke out against the cancellation, the show's producers released their own statements. 

"Please know that we fought," said creator Moira Walley-Beckett on Instagram. "We tried to change their minds. We tried to find a new home. We tried for a finale movie ... We tried our best [...] Art and Commerce is never an easy marriage. I often find it inexplicable. This is one of those times. But it's impossible to argue with words like Economics, Algorithms, Demographics, etc., etc. But those words and others like them are the reason why the Networks don't want to continue." 

From what Walley-Beckett said, it's clear that Netflix bosses just weren't seeing the numbers needed to continue with the show on the streamer. Producer Miranda de Pencier echoed those sentiments in her own Instagram post, thanking fans but assuring them that the series was over. So, no other network wanted to invest in "Anne with an E," and that's what ultimately led to its demise. 

In October of 2019, the CBC cut ties with Netflix altogether. Catherine Tait, CBC's CEO, said on an episode of the podcast "Content Canada" that they felt that producing shows for the streaming service was hurting the domestic film industry in Canada. She even went so far as to compare Netflix to imperialism and the British and French Empires on another occasion.

Unfortunately, this news came right as "Anne with an E" Season 3 dropped on Netflix. So, maybe the real reason the show was canceled has nothing to do with demographics or ratings or budget. Maybe it just got lost in the shuffle, a casualty in the breakup. Netflix also contractually restricts shows from seeking new networks immediately after Netflix cancels them, according to Deadline.

However, while the producers have said their goodbyes, there's always a chance that "Anne with an E" could be revived or brought back in the future. Maybe the CBC will bring it back on their own network. Maybe that movie will happen. There's plenty of material left to adapt, after all, since Lucy Maud Montgomery's books follow Anne Shirley well into adulthood. 

While "Anne With an E" will be a forever-cherished memory for "Anne of Green Gables" fans from here on out, fans of the beloved book series have something brand-new to look forward to: a fresh anime series. "Anne Shirley" will hit NHK Educational TV in April 2025, per the anime's official website. The series will apparently adapt the first book in the series. It comes from The Answer Studio, famous for creating the international anime hit "Your Name," widely regarded as one of the best anime movies of all time.

The book series was previously adapted into the 1979 anime series "Akage no Anne" (which was directed by future Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata) and 2009'S "Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables." The latter looked at Anne's life before she was taken in by Matthew and Marilla, and the former is an extremely beloved retelling of the series' first three volumes. There's no word on how long "Anne Shirley" will run for, but young fans will get a whole new chance to fall in love with everyone's favorite red-headed Canadian.