Summary

  • Mindhunter season 3 was canceled after two seasons despite the potential for more exploration of criminal profiling and infamous murderers.
  • The success of David Fincher's film "The Killer" on Netflix suggests that Mindhunter's cancelation was a mistake.
  • While it's unlikely that a third season will happen, the popularity of "The Killer" could potentially lead to a revival of Mindhunter.

The state of a potential Mindhunter season 3 was up in the air for a few years until executive producer David Fincher revealed in 2023 that the television show had been canceled after two seasons. Four years after season 2, one film on Netflix proved that the streaming service made the wrong decision by letting Mindhunter end. The Netflix psychological crime thriller television series was based on the 1995 book Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker and revolved around two FBI agents and one psychologist who set out to study serial killers and understand their behavior and psychology to apply to unsolved cases.

Mindhunter showcased the beginnings of the Behavioral Science Unit in the FBI and featured numerous real-life serial killers. Jonathan Groff's Holden Ford, Holt McCallany's Bill Tench, and Anna Torv's Wendy Carr worked together to develop the field of criminal profiling, and they did so by meeting with serial killers like Edmund Kemper, Richard Speck, David Berkowitz, Charles Manson, and many more. The series could have continued to explore the early days of the BSU and highlighted more infamous murderers, but unfortunately, it never made it past two seasons.

The Killer's Netflix Success Proves How Much Netflix Needed David Fincher's Mindhunter

Michael Fassbender as the titular assassin looking out a window in The Killer

Mindhunter's cancelation hurts even more following the success of David Fincher's action thriller film The Killer, which premiered on November 10, 2023, on Netflix. It quickly jumped to the top of the streaming service's "Top Ten Movies" list, and the film has received an overwhelming amount of positive reviews from critics. Many suggest that The Killer's success could lead to a franchise, given that it is based on the French graphic novel series The Killer written by Alexis "Matz" Nolent and illustrated by Luc Jacamon. Fincher's latest movie is a certified hit, and his television show could have (and should have) continued the filmmaker's triumphs.

Mindhunter was loved by critics and audiences, similar to The Killer. Netflix should have continued to bank on the television series' popularity by ordering more seasons, especially since it was clear that the show had many more stories to tell. Sadly, Mindhunter season 3 was seemingly not meant to be.

A blended image of some of the serial killers portrayed in the Netflix series Mindhunter
Related
The 15 Most Interesting Serial Killers On Mindhunter (& 10 They Should Have Had On The Show)

Mindhunter does a great job of examining the motivations behind real serial killers. These are some of the most interesting to be featured!

Could The Killer's Popularity Finally Make Mindhunter Season 3 Happen At Netflix?

Jonathan Groff as Holden Ford holding up a picture and Holt McCallany as Bill Tench in Mindhunter

Fincher declared that the Netflix psychological crime thriller television series was officially over as he was focusing on other projects. As a result, it is unlikely that a third season will ever come to fruition. However, one should never say never. Following the success of The Killer, it's possible that Fincher might want to revisit Mindhunter, but it would be awfully difficult trying to get the entire band back together again.