‘The Great’ Canceled at Hulu After 3 Seasons

Sorrows abound as Hulu‘s dark costume dramedy The Great has been canceled following the recent release of its third season starring Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult.

Debuting in 2020, the Emmy-winning series created by Tony McNamara (The Favourite) tells the origin story of Catherine the Great (Fanning) and tracks her progress as she works toward becoming Russia’s reigning 18th-century empress. Taking liberties with the historical figures, the show delivers zany and surreal elements alongside Catherine’s mission to take control after discovering the volatile and unpredictable nature of her new husband Peter (Hoult).

(Credit: Christopher Raphael/Hulu)

News of the cancellation was shared by Deadline. The show’s end comes as a bit of a surprise as Season 3 seemed to set up a new chapter for Catherine following [Spoiler] Peter’s shocking death in Episode 6. Along with winning the Emmy in 2020 for Outstanding Period Costumes, both Fanning and Holt received acting nominations in 2022 for the show’s second season.

Along with starring Fanning and Hoult, the series featured Phoebe Fox, Adam Godley, Gwilym Lee, Charity Wakefield, Douglas Hodge, Sacha Dhawan, Bayo Gbadamosi, and Belinda Bromilow.

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'The Great' Stars Nicholas Hoult & Elle Fanning React to That Season 3 Death

When TV Insider caught up with Fanning in May of this year, she shared excitement about the show’s possible future, noting, “Catherine is a completely changed woman,” by the end of Season 3. “I’m very excited to explore different parts of her and [see] her explore her sexuality a bit because that was such a big part of the real Catherine the Great.”

Sadly, fans won’t get to see that come to fruition despite the cliffhanger ending which revealed a new haircut for Catherine as she danced around in a black dress during Season 3’s final moments. How do you feel about the surprising cancellation? Let us know in the comments section, below.

The Great, Seasons 1-3, Streaming now, Hulu