Today, Warner Bros Animation announced a third season of the beloved animated series Young Justice, three years after the series’ cancellation on Cartoon Network. “The affection that fans have had for Young Justice, and their rallying cry for more episodes, has always resonated with us,” Sam Register, president of WB Animation, said in the accompanying press release. “We are excited to bring the show back for this loyal fanbase and to provide an opportunity for new viewers to discover this excellent series.”
Currently, there are no further details beyond the renewal itself and confirmation that the original creative team of Brandon Vietti and Greg Weisman will be returning. It’s unclear whether the series will premiere as a streaming original, or if it will return to Cartoon Network. Considering the post-cancellation following Young Justice garnered through Netflix streaming, and the fact that no other streaming service has made a public play towards acquiring the series, Netflix seems like a fairly safe bet.
Rumors of a Young Justice revival have been swirling ever since the series was originally cancelled in 2013. Weisman has been campaigning for a renewal as late as January of this year, and a miscommunication lead fans to believe that Young Justice writer Peter David had been meeting with Netflix about a third season. However, David also claims that Weisman had been getting positive vibes from the streaming giant. “I had lunch with Greg Weisman a few weeks ago, and he said that Netflix is seriously considering ordering a third season because they’re impressed with how much people are watching it,” David wrote on his blog this past August.
Young Justice was originally cancelled due to low toy sales, as the series was co-financed by toy manufacturer Mattel, who were producing the associated Young Justice toyline. The series received critical praise, not a surprise in light of producer Greg Weisman’s animated pedigree. Weisman had previously worked on Gargoyles and Spectacular Spider-Man (another great comic book show cancelled before its time), and is credited on Star Wars Rebels.
