The fourth season of “The Originals” will air next year, but the rumors are already spiraling that it will be the show’s final season.
The supernatural series’ upcoming season was rumored to be the last season when The CW moved the Season 4 premiere to January and cut the episode order to almost half the usual.
The next installment will have 13 episodes as opposed to the usual 22-episode order it got for the past three seasons.
Reports say that the network prioritized shows that are rating very well over “The Originals” such as “Jane the Virgin” and new shows such as “No Tomorrow” and “Frequency.”
The network is reportedly more invested in building up their DC-based series such as “Arrow,” “The Flash,” “Legends of Tomorrow,” and the newest addition “Supergirl,” over supernatural-themed shows.
There are reports saying that the show is already being in talks of moving to ABC after the fourth season. The fact that the show’s parent series, “The Vampire Diaries” will be ending after its eighth season seems to be corroborating these reports.
As per News Everyday, the producers of the show is already negotiating with ABC for a possible fifth season for “The Originals.”
According to iTech Post, the show has been steadily dropping in viewership ratings over the past seasons. The network is reportedly using its newest deal with Netflix to salvage the show.
The show’s rating plummeted particularly when fan-favorite characters Davina and Cami, played by Danielle Campbell and Leah Pipes respectively, were killed off last season.
The CW nor ABC has not yet spoken about the matter, but filming for the upcoming season is already underway and fans can expect updates in the coming weeks.
The fourth season of the show will pick up five years after the events of the Season 3 finale. Joseph Morgan’s Klaus will need some help getting out of slumber prison, while Pheobe Tonkin’s Hayley and the seven-year-old Hope will look for ways to save the Mikaelsons.
During the Season 3 finale, Freya was poisoned while Elijah and Kol were infected with Marcel’s venom. Rebecca also returns to save her siblings to no avail.
Klaus, on the other hand, was stabbed with Papa Tunde’s blade rendering him paralyzed for as long as Marcel desires. However, it was revealed that it was only a trap to buy time against Marcel.
Freya was able to do a spell that transferred her brothers and sister to a dream-like world with Klaus serving as the family’s anchor.
During the San Diego ComicCon in July, the first trailer for Season 4 was revealed showing Summer Fontana playing a grown up Hope. Hayley and Hope will do their best to find a cure to bring back the Original family and to save Klaus.
As for Marcel, he now reigns New Orleans again, but it looks like his ruling will come to an end shortly as another big bad will be coming to New Orleans to get revenge again on the Mikaelsons.
It is not yet clear if the new villain will team up with Marcel to keep the Mikaelsons out of their way or if they will also clash as to who should have more power over the other.
Reports say that Hope has gotten a lot of traits from his father and that might mean that the child also possesses some of his powers, which could mean that she could save him.
The fact that that showrunner Julie Plec teased that Klaus will go the extra mile to protect his daughter this season stems from the arrival of the sadistic vampire who will use Hope to get vengeance upon the Mikaelsons.