Netflix cancels a show from Dark producers, despite filming already being finished

Dark
(Image credit: Netflix)

Netflix has just canceled a new fantasy show from the producers of German-language series Dark – before it even aired an episode.

As per Deadline, The Grimm Reality has been canned at the streamer, despite filming being completed and production beginning as early as 2022.

No plot details were given, but it was initially described by What’s on Netflix as a "fairy tale urban fantasy thriller" so it would, presumably, have drawn heavy inspiration from 18th and 19th Century folklore writers the Brothers Grimm.

Mind-melting Netflix drama Dark was one of Netflix’s earliest foreign successes, paving the way for the likes of Squid Game and Lupin. Across three seasons, its trademark mix of time travel, conspiracies, and domestic drama proved a hit – with it currently sitting at 95% on reviews aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.

Dark producers Wiedemann & Berg at least have the second season of Crooks to look forward to, which has reportedly been renewed at the streamer.

Crooks, starring Frederick Lau and Svenja Jung, features reformed criminal Charly being pushed into taking part in a heist centred around a valuable coin.

Netflix is at least seeing things through elsewhere, with the final seasons of Cobra Kai and Vikings: Valhalla hitting the service in July.

Vikings: Valhalla season 3 – which brings Leif, Freydis, and Harald’s Scandinavian journey to a close – premieres on July 11.

Cobra Kai season 6, which is split across three batches of five episodes across 2024 and 2025, starts streaming on July 18.

For more, check out our picks for the best shows on Netflix and best anime on Netflix.

Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at 12DOVE, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.