With stars and fans alike expressing interest in a revival of the beloved series, could Longmire be set to make a comeback?
Longmire is set to leave Netflix on January 1, 2025 after a decade-long streaming run, and rumors are circulating about the possibility of the show's being revived by Warner Bros., which owns the intellectual property rights to the series.
On social media,Craig Johnson, the author of the 20-plus Longmire novels the show was based on, expressed his hopes for a Longmire revival and voiced strong opinions about the deal that kept the show on Netflix for so long. He also noted his disappointment that Longmire was removed and said he’d canceled his Netflix subscription as a result.
“I’m to understand that Netflix is officially dropping Longmire from its lineup at the end of the year, even though the show is still alive and well in the ratings. I hear it’s been picked up by Paramount+, and I’m curious to see if Warner [Bros.], now free from the sweetheart deal with Netflix, will finally consider reviving the show. ... Interesting times. I took a great deal of satisfaction canceling my Netflix subscription; when I got to the box where they asked why and simply wrote ... LONGMIRE,” Johnson wrote on Facebook.
Longmire originally aired on A&E for three seasons, from 2012 to 2017, topping out at 6 million viewers per episode before being canceled by A&E when Warner Bros. refused to sell the brand to the network.
“A broadcaster can make a lot more money off a show if they own it, rather than leasing it from a studio,” Johnson told Cowboy State Daily in 2022. “But Warner Bros. knew they had a hit on their hands with Longmire and wouldn’t sell.”
In addition to fan backlash over the cancellation of the beloved series, A&E lost nearly one-third of its audience after it canceled Longmire, Johnson said.
Longmire author Craig Johnson said he canceled his Netflix subscription over its decision to remove the show from its streaming platform.
Netflix revived the series and continued it for an additional three seasons. After Season 6 aired in 2017, Netflix approached Warner Bros. to buy the series, butWarner Brothers refused again. So Longmire ended and the rights have lain dormant since 2017.
Now, with no dedicated streaming deal in place, Johnson said he hopes Warner Bros. will consider reviving the show. The Longmire stars have also shown interest in reviving the series.
“There’s always talk about doing some movies,” said Robert Taylor, who played Sheriff Walt Longmire, in an interview with UPI earlier this year. “That could seriously happen.”
If Longmire is revived, it couldn't come at a better time. The popularity of the neo-western genre has surged over the past six years, largely driven by Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone series and its spinoffs like Landman. Longmire remains a notable example of a show that hasn’t been revisited despite its success. The series continues to enjoy a dedicated fan base, with events like the annual Longmire Days celebration in Buffalo, Wyoming, drawing tens of thousands of fans each year to honor the show and its characters.
Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone has bolstered the neo-western genre since the end of Longmire.
As for a potential Longmire Season 7, there’s plenty of source material to explore, including several books published after the show ended in 2017: Depth of Winter (2018), Land of Wolves (2019), Next to Last Stand (2020), Daughter of the Morning Star (2021), Hell and Back (2022), The Longmire Defense (2023), First Frost (2024), and Tooth and Claw (2024).
What do you think? Would you like to see Longmire return for more episodes? Let us know your thoughts in the comments, or on social media.
