Warrior: The acclaimed cancelled drama whose fate suddenly lies in Netflix users’ hands

One of the most entertaining series in years has been given a new lease of life

Netflix users hold the fate of one new title in their hands after the addition of a series that was unfairly cancelled last year.

In December, it was revealed by streaming service Max that the acclaimed drama Warrior had been axed, two years after it was resurrected.

However, all hope is not lost for the series, which has drawn comparisons to HBO prohobition drama Boardwalk Empire and the BBC’s global hit Peaky Blinders since its debut in 2019.

The show, set during the Tong Wars in the 1870s, stars Andrew Koji as a Chinese martial arts prodigy who arrives in San Francisco to find his sister. However, he soon finds himself embroiled in the deadly power struggle of Chinatown. A must for martial arts fans, Warrior is based on an idea Bruce Lee had for the 1972 TV show Kung Fu, which starred David Carradine.

Earlier this month, the show was added to Netflix across several territories in a deal that was agreed in conjunction with Max – an affiliate of Warner Bros Discovery.

Warrior’s journey has been tumultuous to say the least. After debuting in 2019 on Cinemax, the show was inadvertently cancelled when it was revealed the network would no longer be producing original titles.

Max stepped in to save the show in 2021, with the latest season arriving in the summer of 2023, but Max has since called a slew of its shows. Warrior’s cast members, including Koji, Olivia Cheng, Jason Tobin, Kieran Bew and Dianne Doan, have all shared hope that the series might find a new fandom on Netflix, which could result in the commissioning of a fourth season.

This development would be wonderful news for fans, who were left wanting more after the acclaimed third run drew to a close. ,

Making Warrior’s axing more unfair is the fact it’s received universal acclaim; it currently sits at 94 per cent on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes.

Andrew Koji and Jason Tobin in ‘Warrior’ (Cinemax)

Previously speaking about the show’s future, creator Jonathan Tropper told Deadline: “Warrior is a show that simply refuses to die.

“Through platform and regime changes, the writers, producers, cast, crew, and our stunt team continued to make something powerful, relevant, and wildly unique. And now, thanks to Netflix, we’ve been given yet another lease on life, and I’m thrilled for everyone involved that millions more viewers around the world will discover it.”

In Netflix’s global top 10, the series is number eight – and appears to be rising with every new day. It’s worth noting there are seveal key countries where Warrior is not yet available, and the UK is one of them.

A big reason behind the show’s success is the performance of Koji, an actor, writer and martial artist who has worked as a stunt double in films including Fast & Furious 6. His other credits include the Brad Pitt action film Bullet Train.

The actor, who has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, will next be seen in the Netflix spy series Black Dove from The Lazarus Project creator Joe Barton. He’ll appear in the series alongside Keira Knightley, Sarah Lancashire and Ben Whishaw.