Image Credit: The Last Kingdom
One of the best historical dramas of Netflix, last empireCurrently scheduled to cease service throughout 2026. Removals will begin in Canada in March and are expected to continue in the United States and other regions through the end of the year.
Here’s everything we know about why the show is ending, when it will end in your region, and the history behind this beloved series.
when is it last empire Leaving Netflix?
According to our data, the removal of last empire Will occur in waves, possibly aligning with when the final season was added to the service in specific regions. The current removal schedule is as follows:
Removal date for The Last Kingdom on Netflix Canada – with thanks to Jason Kay.
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- United States: 9 December 2026
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- United Kingdom, Australia and most European regions: April 1, 2028
Netflix Canada is the first major territory to lose the title, with the removal date set exactly four years after the Season 5 premiere. For those in the US and other regions, the removal date is currently set for the end of the year, giving you a little more time to revisit the saga of Uhtred. The United States date will not be a surprise to some if you saw our preview of upcoming origin departures scheduled for 2026. As we mentioned in the article, which was only for the US release, Collider didn’t mention it when covering it without our source.
Why is Netflix leaving the original service?
It always comes as a shock when someone leaves the Netflix Originals library, but in this case last empireIt comes down to ownership versus distribution rights.
For those who don’t know the show’s interesting story, it didn’t start out as a Netflix original. based on saxon stories By Bernard Cornwell, series premiered 2015 bbc two in the United Kingdom and BBC in America. The BBC produced the first two seasons, but due to budget constraints, they could not continue the ambitious historical drama alone. Netflix stepped in as co-producer for Season 2 and then took over as sole distributor and financier from Season 3 onwards. This saved the show and enabled it to run for five seasons (46 episodes), concluding Uhtred’s journey to reclaim Bebbanburg. Since the early seasons were a BBC production, the rights situation has always been a mixture of licensing deals, which is why we’re now seeing these expiry dates coming up.
While the show is branded as a Netflix Original, Netflix does not own the property forever. The series is produced by carnival films. Netflix acquired the exclusive streaming rights for a certain period of time, which appears to be four years after the release of the final season. The four-year licensing window for Canada will close on March 9, 2026, with season 5 releasing on March 9, 2022. Contract terms or start dates often differ slightly in the US and other international territories, which explains the December departure.
How about the movie Seven Kings Must Die?
So far, the follow-up film, seven kings must dieWhich was released in April 2023 safe for the immediate future. Our information shows that Netflix has got it for a 10-year term in all regions, meaning it won’t be going anywhere until April 2033.
Where will it stream next?
Once the rights are taken back from Netflix, the show will be returned to its production company, Carnival Films (part of NBCUniversal International Studios). This means the show can happen end at Peacock Must be licensed in the US, or for services such as amazon prime video Or Britbox. In the UK, it’s possible that the rights will revert to the BBC and iPlayer, but no new streaming home has been officially announced yet.
There is also a possibility that Netflix chooses to renew the show and continue streaming it for the foreseeable future. According to Netflix engagement reports, the show and movie are projected to receive 154.4 million views between 2023 and 2025, so it’s still drawing good viewership.
Are you disappointed to see The Last Kingdom leaving Netflix? Will you give it one last thrust before it’s over? Let us know in the comments.