Netflix Cancels House of Cards

Political thriller House of Cards is ending its six-year term on Netflix, The Hollywood Reporter says.

The upcoming sixth season of House of Cards was already rumored to be its last. After critical praise in its early seasons, the show hasn't attracted the same quality of reviews in recent years. Questions about its future have been asked since Season 4 when creator Beau Willimon departed, but Netflix continued the series for two more seasons.

House of Cards was instrumental in putting Netflix on the map and making it the juggernaut it is today, attracting big name talent in star Kevin Spacey and director/producer David Fincher to the streaming network at a time when streaming television was still in its infancy. The show's lavish budget would also signal Netflix's seriousness in pioneering the development of online television, one that has ballooned into projections of an 8 billion dollar budget for Netflix original programs in 2018.

Star Trek: Discovery Star Anthony Rapp Accuses Kevin Spacey of Sexual Misconduct

The announcement comes a day after Spacey became the subject of sexual misconduct accusations after Star Trek: Discovery's Anthony Rapp alleged that Spacey made sexual advances on him when Rapp was 14 and Spacey was 26. There is no evidence that the scandal is tied to House of Cards' cancellation, but it's hard to ignore the timing.

Regarding the accusations against Spacey, Netflix released a joint statement with production studio Media Rights Capital that read: "Media Rights Capital and Netflix are deeply troubled by last night's news concerning Kevin Spacey. In response to last night's revelations, executives from both of our companies arrived in Baltimore this afternoon to meet with our cast and crew to ensure that they continue to feel safe and supported. As previously scheduled, Kevin Spacey is not working on set at this time."

House of Cards' final season premieres in 2018.