Devoted followers of a cherished TV series were shocked and saddened when Showtime announced that the show will conclude after the next season is broadcast on the network.

The announcement came on late Friday evening that the next season of Yellowjackets will be the fourth and final one.

The creators of the series, Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, turned to social media to inform fans about their intentions for the Paramount+ thriller series, bidding an early farewell.

The show’s co-creators and executive producers, drawing inspiration from Succession’s impressive end after four well-crafted seasons, reportedly have a vision for a spectacular finale, according to Deadline.

The writers’ room for the upcoming season is active, with production slated to begin in 2026, so the premiere date for the concluding fourth season is not yet determined.

‘After three incredible seasons and thorough reflection, we’re thrilled to announce that we will be taking the Yellowjackets story to its twisted conclusion in this fourth and final season,’ the creators stated, sharing the news on Yellowjackets’ official Instagram page.

‘We’ve always known there would come a point when the story would tell us it wants to end, and it’s our belief that our job — our responsibility — is to listen,’ Lyle and Nickerson continued in their statement.

‘Telling this emotional, wild, and deeply human story has been a profoundly meaningful experience and a true honor for us, and we’re so very grateful to the brilliant cast, crew and writers who have bravely gone on the journey with us to bring it to life,’ they added.

‘Most of all, we want to thank the fans who have stuck with us through every moment, mystery and meal — the Hive is nothing without you!’

And at the end of their statement, they concluded by teasing the finale: ‘We can’t wait to share the final chapter with you and hope you find it … delicious.’

Many fans took to social media to share their saddened reactions to the news. 

Some expressed shock as the creators previously said they were hopeful about making a fifth season. 

One X user tweeted a crying GIF and wrote: ‘The fifth season was the friends we made along the way [I guess]…’ 

Another fan tweeted: ‘EXUSE [sic] ME FINAL??? what happened to the 5 season plan…and the bonus episode ???’ 

Yet another devastated fan tweeted: ‘Wait no this throw [sic] off all my theories and timeline predictions, why would you do this to MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!?!?!?!?’ 

One social media user tweeted a GIF from a heartbreaking scene in the show and wrote: ‘Me begging for season 5 still.’ 

Yellowjackets first premiered on Showtime back in 2021.

The show, which is the second-longest-running current scripted series on Showtime’s streaming service, quickly became a hit sensation and garnered a strong fanbase. 

The show followed a high school girls’ soccer team trying to survive in the Canadian wilderness after a plane crash in the late 1990s interwoven with the present-day stories of the ones who survived the ordeal and tried to put their lives back together nearly 25 years later. 

The show’s third season wrapped in April earlier this year and was renewed for another season in May. 

Yellowjackets has received a total of 10 Emmy nominations so far, including two best drama series nods for the first two seasons. 

Lyle and Nickerson previously said they envisioned five seasons for Yellowjackets but later admitted it was ‘wishful thinking.’ 

‘Any time that you say, “We’re going to do five or six seasons,” that’s a shot in the dark and incredibly wishful thinking, just from a practical standpoint,’ Lyle told The Hollywood Reporter after the season three finale.

‘We feel that there is more story to tell and we’re really excited to dive into it,’ she later added.

‘As you said, to be able to tell the story of the reassimilation into society, to see what horrors are in store for them even without the horrors of the wilderness is very exciting,’ Lyle continued. 

‘But you can never truly predict and we just will be very grateful that we keep getting to tell the story.’ 

Season three starred Melanie Lynskey, Christina Ricci, Tawny Cypress, Lauren Ambrose and Sophie Nélisse.

The cast also included Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sophie Thatcher, Samantha Hanratty, Courtney Eaton, Liv Hewson, Steven Krueger, Warren Kole, Kevin Alves, Sarah Desjardins and Simone Kessell. 

Elijah Wood had a recurring role, and Hilary Swank, Joel McHale and Ashley Sutton guest starred in the show.