Horizon Zero Dawn: Why Has Steve Blackman’s Netflix Series Been Canceled?

According to recent reports, an in-development Horizon Zero Dawn series has already been canceled by Netflix due to issues with its showrunner, Steve Blackman. As per the account, another original series being supervised by the Canadian producer has also been shelved. But why has the streaming giant allegedly severed ties with Blackman’s projects?

Here are all the details regarding the supposed cancellation of the Horizon Zero Dawn series.

Why did Netflix cancel the Horizon Zero Dawn series and Orbital?

Both the series have reportedly been abandoned due to a string of allegations against their designated showrunner, Steve Blackman.

Plans regarding a live-action adaption of the Guerrilla Games franchise were first announced by Netflix and Sony in 2023. However, no information regarding the cast or a release date was conveyed by the two parties. Nonetheless, Steve Blackman of Umbrella Academy fame was confirmed as the showrunner for the series in the initial stages itself.

Before further details could be uncovered, an investigative report by Rolling Stone‘s Cheyenne Roundtree was released that claimed that the Horizon Zero Dawn series had been canceled by Netflix. The review also stated that another original series being shaped by Blackman, named Orbital, has also been discarded by Netflix. As per Roundtree, the decision behind scrapping the said projects has to do with Steve Blackman’s unusual demeanor at his workplace. The report also states testimonies from 12 former employees associated with Blackman who attested to his “toxic, bullying, manipulative, and retaliatory behavior.” Meanwhile, the showrunner’s representative has issued a statement, labeling the accusations as “completely absurd.”

Despite the contentious report, Netflix or Sony has yet to comment on the controversy surrounding Steve Blackman. Moreover, the streaming platform hasn’t officially canceled the Horizon Zero Dawn series at the time of writing. Consequently, both shows can still come out in the foreseeable future with a different showrunner.

Apoorv Rastogi

Apoorv is an SEO Contributing Writer for ComingSoon. A dedicated cinephile inside and out, Apoorv's passion for content creation motivated him to ditch the software sector in favour of pursuing a career in the entertainment industry. He is also an avid sports enthusiast, with football topping his favorites list.