The finale of The Umbrella Academy has reached us on Netflix with season 4. But will there be a season 5? And what about the spin-off The Sparrow Academy
After five years, The Umbrella Academy on Netflix has come to an end with season 4. Six final episodes gave us a spectacular superhero finale that more or less concludes the story of the Hargreeves siblings. But was that really the end? And can we expect the Umbrella Academy universe to continue in a spin-off?
Season 4 is indeed the last season of The Umbrella Academy
Back in 2022, Netflix and Umbrella Academy showrunner Steve Blackman announced that season 4 would be the last. Blackman told TV Line at the time that he had designed the series for only four seasons from the outset and that Netflix had only promised this number, regardless of whether the streamer wanted more seasons.
Originally, however, the finale was supposed to have more episodes. After new negotiations with Netflix, six episodes were finally agreed upon, as Blackman revealed to Radio Times
Watch a featurette on The Umbrella Academy season 4 here:
It can only be speculated whether this is the whole truth or whether the shortening of the series has to do with the accusations made against Blackman by former crew members. So far, however, the end seems irrevocably sealed – at least as far as the main series is concerned.
The Sparrow Academy spin-off has been canceled by Netflix
The planned spin-off The Sparrow Academy, which was announced in 2023, is also not to be continued. According to What’s on Netflix, the series was to focus on the group of the same name, consisting of Marcus Hargreeves (Justin Cornwell), Ben (Justin H. Min), Alphonso (Jake Epstein), Sloane (Genesis Rodriguez), Jayme (Cazzie David) and Christopher.
The Sparrow Academy made its big appearance in season 3 of the main series, where it was created in an alternate timeline by Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore) and acted as a counter-team to the Umbrella Academy.
The project was also to be developed by Umbrella Academy showrunner Steve Blackman, but had not yet been greenlit by Netflix. As reported in early July 2024, the spin-off was canceled by Netflix due to the allegations against Blackman with other projects by the showrunner.
(The Umbrella Academy)
Umbrella Academy cast can imagine further spin-offs – including about Klaus and Number 5
However, the cast of The Umbrella Academy told The Hollywood Reporter that they would be open to various spin-off ideas. Justin H. Min suggested a spin-off centered around Klaus (Robert Sheehan) and Number 5 (Aidan Gallagher), while Luther actor Tom Hopper wanted a Reginald Hargreeves spin-off “to see what he did before the Umbrella Academy existed.”
Allison actress Emmy Raver-Lampman, on the other hand, could imagine a spin-off about the villains of the superhero series – including the new additions from season 4:
I think the show has some great villains. I would love an origin story on Gene [Nick Offerman] and Jean [Megan Mullally] or the handler [Kate Walsh], especially because I want to see their costumes. I’m also a big fan of [Hazel actor] Cameron Britton, he can get a spin-off right away for all I care.
It remains to be seen whether these ideas will remain wishes or whether Netflix will actually realize a spin-off. Until then, you can watch all four seasons of The Umbrella Academy again, which are streaming in their entirety on Netflix. It’s also worth taking a look at the comic book by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá*, which now comprises three issues
