It's been over half a year since The Orville: New Horizons concluded Season 3 on Hulu; now, just on the heels of some promising news from Chad L. Coleman about Season 4, we have an update on the situation from Seth MacFarlane. While we still don't know for sure if a new season is happening, the creator did offer some insight as to why it's taking so long for a decision to be made.
Fans are beyond tired of waiting for news on a renewal, which might've been why one Twitter user asked what it's going to take for The Orville to get Season 4. Seth MacFarlane quote-tweeted the question and laid out the situation for everyone curious as best he could:
The industry is in the midst of a time of upheaval and transition. I wish I could provide a definitive answer to your question. At the moment, all I can say is that I remain… cautiously optimistic. 🚀 https://t.co/DIsZWBJFgaMarch 20, 2023
Seth MacFarlane is likely talking about the streaming industry as a whole, in which it appears the honeymoon phase for all services is coming to an end. Flagship shows that helped launch platforms are coming to an end, and some services are scrubbing original shows from their library entirely after cancellation. All that to say that while it may have once seemed like anyone and their brother could get green-lit for a series or new season on streaming, the times might be changing.
The good news to report from this is that the star and creator of The Orville is "cautiously optimistic" about where things stand for the show's renewal. CinemaBlend learned from Chad L. Coleman that there have been "promising meetings" regarding a new season. If Seth MacFarlane is willing to publicly state he's feeling good about the situation, then I'm feeling better than I was a few weeks ago. So, while another day will pass without any certainty on what will become of The Orville, it's certainly nice to get an update from MacFarlane himself.
The Orville completed Season 3 back in late 2022, but fans have been asking about a Season 4 since well before the third season ended. A rumor surfaced ahead of the Season 3 premiere that Hulu already planned to conclude the series after the season was completed, but that rumor was refuted by many involved in the production once the season got rolling.
What was true was that The Orville was not guaranteed an automatic renewal, and the cast and crew explained that it would be on the fans to watch and talk about the series on social media in order for Season 4 to happen. Fans and even stars of the series, like Penny Johnson Jerald, have kept the conversation going online, but we're still waiting on some definitive news about the series' status. Hopefully Seth MacFarlane's optimism is a sign that the wait for good news won't be much longer.
The Orville: New Horizons is available to stream right now, so put that Hulu or Disney+ subscription to good use and check out one of its best episodes right now. Who knows? It might just tip the scales in these promising times for the streaming series.
