The animated comedy The Venture Brothers — which ran for 7 seasons over 17 years — is finally coming to an end on Adult Swim.
Sadly, fans will have to say goodbye to the Venture family which includes teen brothers Dean and Hank, their scientist dad Rusty, the family bodyguard Brock Sampson and a vast array of bizarre yet hilarious supervillains and henchmen.
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Show creator Christopher McCulloch (who writes under the pen name Jackson Publick) confirmed on Monday via Twitter the series will be ending. The writing team was in the middle of working on season 8 when they received the news, he said.
“Unfortunately, it’s true: ‘Venture Bros.’ has been canceled,” McCulloch tweeted. “We got the highly disappointing news a few months ago, while we were writing what would have been season 8. We thank you, our amazing fans, for 17 years of your kind (and patient) attention. And, as always, we love you.”
Unfortunately, it’s true: #VentureBros has been canceled. We got the highly disappointing news a few months ago, while we were writing what would have been season 8. We thank you, our amazing fans, for 17 years of your kind (and patient) attention. And, as always, We Love You.
— Jackson Publick (@jacksonpublick) September 7, 2020
Actor James Urbaniak tweeted his appreciation at being able to voice Rusty Venture for so many years.
“So, as it must to all, cancelation has come for The Venture Bros,” Urbaniak tweeted on Monday. “The pilot aired 17 years ago, which means the show was almost old enough to vote. It was one of the great gifts of my life & career. The fans were, quite simply, the best. Thank you, everybody. Go. Team. Venture!”
So, as it must to all, cancellation has come for The Venture Bros. The pilot aired 17 years ago, which means the show was almost old enough to vote. It was one of the great gifts of my life & career. The fans were, quite simply, the best. Thank you, everybody. Go. Team. Venture! pic.twitter.com/MPMAvWS6Z4
— James Urbaniak (@JamesUrbaniak) September 8, 2020
Adult Swim said it was looking for a way to continue the story with McCulloch and co-writer Doc Hammer, according to Variety on Monday. So perhaps all is not lost.
“We also want more Venture Bros. and have been working with Jackson [Publick] and Doc [Hammer] to find another way to continue the Venture Bros. story,” Adult Swim said in a statement.
The series was one of the longest-running original series on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. Its pilot episode first aired in 2003.
Fans shared their love for The Venture Brothers on social media, asking other networks to save the show or perhaps crowdfund another season to be aired elsewhere.
Words cannot explain how upset I am that Venture Bros is canceled. I hope a streaming service like Netflix will pick up the show because throughout it’s run, the show developed a universe and lore, and the show deserves a proper ending. 😭 https://t.co/48XUma19lY
— Taylor Lyles (@TayNixster) September 8, 2020
Crazy idea, and forgive me if this is an impossible suggestion, but would crowdfunding the final season be possible? There are so many of us who would love to help you and Doc Hammer end the show on your own terms.
— Lauryn Ipsum (@LaurynIpsum) September 8, 2020
Wow Venture Bros. 17 years is a crazy long time for an animated series to run, congrats to everyone involved. 15 years ago I went to a preview of Season 2 and met co-creator Doc Hammer. Clearly I was much more excited about it😂 pic.twitter.com/KWkxqMiksa
— Bryan Brinkman (@bryanbrinkman) September 8, 2020
This sucks. This show had a profound impact on me creatively when I started writing. Hell, I wrote a paper on #VentureBros in grad school. Using genre and comedy to develop deeply flawed, human characters, and never missed a step over seventeen years. It’ll be sorely missed. https://t.co/HIcGT7bjlA
— Frank Angones (@FrankAngones) September 8, 2020
sounds like the creators were midway through writing the real final season–which was greenlit back in 2018, as far as I know–only for adult swim to cancel the show. heck of a run regardless, but venture bros deserved better https://t.co/8yPeIyhyaU
— Nathan Grayson (@Vahn16) September 8, 2020
Assuming AdultSwim would sign off on it. They had a similar agreement with Brendon Small, the guy behind Metalocalypse; Hulu would pay for the finale if there were enough signatures on a petition.
More than enough signatures collected, then AdultSwim reneged on the deal.
— Nate Smith (@Clockwork_Cloak) September 8, 2020