Why Was Nautilus Cancelled and Can It Be Saved?

Nautilus was cancelled by Disney+ before it began, but now that it is developing an audience on different venues, it has a chance to continue if fans show enough support

What Is It?

This series acts as a prequel to Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, centering on the exploits of a young Captain Nemo. Set in 1857, the series follows Nemo’s escape from British East India Company oppression using his prototype submarine, the Nautilus, with the goal of revenge—for his murdered family and stolen homeland—while battling imperial villains, giant sea creatures, and ethical dilemmas aboard his crewed vessel.

Aired: AMC, 2025, 1 Season Totaling 10 Episodes

Starring:  Shazad Latif, Georgia Flood, Thierry Frémont, Pacharo Mzembe, Arlo Green

Created By: James Dormer

Why Was It Cancelled?

Nautilus was originally planned as a Disney+ original, though it was produced by Moonriver TV and Seven Stories (with funding from the Mouse House). Filming began on the series in 2022 with plans for it to debut in 2023, but Disney+ got cold feet and canceled the show before it ever aired (along with The Spiderwick Chronicles). Filming had been completed on Nautilus, but Disney decided not to move forward with the show despite its name recognition and franchise possibilities. This was part of a content removal plan the company announced in May 2023, with the goal of cutting $3 billion company-wide in non-sports programming. The Mouse House took an impairment charge on Nautilus and The Spiderwick Chronicles, and had to cancel plans to stream them on Disney+.

Both shows were shopped around, with The Spiderwick Chronicles getting picked up by The Roku Channel (where it had a successful run), and Nautilus getting picked up by Amazon’s Prime Video in the UK and later AMC in the U.S. The latter show had its AMC debut two weeks ago and scored the best premiere ratings for an original on that channel in over a year. It also had a successful run on Prime Video across the pond, according to Parrot Analytics. But the fact is that these networks pretty much picked up the show for a burn-off run, and Disney still holds the licensing.

Nautilus was a rather expensive show to produce, and AMC likely does not have the funds to cover a second season. They could potentially partner with Prime Video on the show, but Disney likely still gets a cut—and that company almost certainly has the final say as well. So if a second season were to happen, it would have to go through several hurdles. The first season did wrap up most of its storylines, but we know that Captain Nemo has plenty more adventures ahead. It is likely that the cast and crew have long since been released from their contracts, but they could be brought back together if one or more venues decide to commit to the show. Shazad Latif (who plays Captain Nemo) had the following to say when asked about a second season:

I’m merely an actor. I have no knowledge of these things, but I don’t know. I have no idea. I just hope that the audience enjoys it, and you never know.

That certainly does not instill confidence in the show continuing, but it does not dismiss the possibility either.

ALSO READ: Sci Fi TV Review – Nautilus

Can the Fans Save It?

Nautilus looked like a hit for AMC out of the gate, but its numbers dropped notably with the second episode. It has done well with digital and delayed viewing, though, and that may make up some of the slack. If it continues to perform well through its ten-episode run, perhaps the network will have an interest in greenlighting a second season. Funding and licensing present a hurdle, but if the audience is there, the network may try to keep the show going.

The key now is for fans to continue watching the show and to get it trending on social media. Watching it on AMC during the live broadcasts does very little unless you are a Nielsen family. But if fans do watch live and get the show trending on the various social media platforms, that will definitely bring it some attention. And if fans watch it on the AMC+ streaming service, those views will be captured. Plus, if they do a subscription drive to get people to sign up for that streaming service to watch the show, that will definitely help because it impacts the bottom line. At the same time, any campaign to save the show should coordinate with fans in the UK to get them to stage watch parties there on Prime Video, and also in Australia where they can watch the show on Stan.

Nautilus was cast off by Disney, but it is finding an audience now that it is available on other venues. The show has plenty of potential to carry beyond its first season, possibly even covering the Jules Verne books at some point. It does face some challenges in continuing to a second season, but if there is enough of an audience, perhaps those can be overcome. If fans make a strong enough Call to Action, then the adventures of Captain Nemo could continue.

Where Can You Watch It?

The first season is currently airing in the U.S. on AMC Sundays at 9 PM EST and it is also streaming on AMC+. In the UK, it is streaming on Prime Video, and in Australia it is available on Stan.

Are you watching Nautilus and will you support fan efforts to save the show? Chime in with your thoughts in the comments below.

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