June 30, 2024, 5:10 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Netflix produces more series than any other streaming service–and consequently cancels the most series as well. The reason is often a simple cost-benefit analysis, as demonstrated by this $200 million series.
In the fast-paced world of series, 2021 isn’t that far away. To recall: 2021 saw the release of high-profile and acclaimed series such as “Arcane,” “Dopesick,” “Loki,” “Mare of Easttown,” “The White Lotus,” “Only Murders in the Building,” “WandaVision,” “Lupin,” and “Squid Game.” All these series made waves, sometimes surprisingly–but lastingly. It was a year of big surprises and hits, the starting point for a new phase of the MCU in the series universe, and especially successful for Netflix. Then there’s the other side: series with enormous budgets that quickly faded into obscurity. One of them is “Jupiter’s Legacy.”
“Jupiter’s Legacy” is the Second Most Expensive Netflix Series of All Time
If you’re wondering “Jupiter’s what?” you’re not alone. Netflix reportedly invested $200 million in the series. With eight episodes, that amounts to a hefty $25 million per episode. Of course, the calculation isn’t quite that simple in detail. Nevertheless, this would make “Jupiter’s Legacy” the second most expensive Netflix series of all time–currently topped by “Stranger Things”–and on par with Disney’s MCU series.
The production was likely intended to compete with exactly these series. At the center of the plot is a group of superheroes, the Union of Justice. Netflix lacks a notable superhero franchise of its own.
The skyrocketing costs can be attributed to several factors. Fifty million dollars alone went into purchasing the comic company Millarworld, though it’s unclear how this fits into the total $200 million cost. Additionally, there were various behind-the-scenes disputes, including a change of showrunner during production.
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Cancellation of “Jupiter’s Legacy” After Just One Season
The exorbitant costs were likely a reason for the series’ early cancellation after just one season. Netflix rarely comments on the reasons for a series’ end. Recently, the streaming service has prematurely canceled numerous prominent productions: examples include “The Midnight Club,” whose first season set a world record. The cancellation of the German blockbuster series “1899” also caused an outcry, as did the official confirmation of the end of “Mindhunter.”
However, there was almost no outcry for “Jupiter’s Legacy.” This is partly because the series received little attention at its launch. Although it briefly appeared in the Netflix charts in 2021, it quickly disappeared again.
Why Does Hardly Anyone Know “Jupiter’s Legacy”?
One reason is certainly that the title rarely appeared on the streaming service’s homepage. Additionally, the marketing was restrained compared to other major in-house productions. And even though Netflix often seems to disregard negative reviews, they can certainly lead people to skip a series. The reviews for “Jupiter’s Legacy” were quite mixed.
On IMDb, the series holds a rating of 6.7, while the score on Rotten Tomatoes is only 42 percent. Many criticize the costumes and the overall look of the title. The lack of pace and intensity in the action scenes is also frequently mentioned by critics.
Interestingly, hardly anyone talks about the series today. Despite the high costs that have essentially gone to waste, “Jupiter’s Legacy” doesn’t appear on common lists of the streaming service’s major flops. The series has literally vanished into obscurity.