The last season of the hit American crime drama, Queen of the South, premiered early June last year. The finale which saw a surprising cliffhanger left fans hanging and wanting to know more. However, we are almost through 2020, and the news of season five release still seems indefinite. Has the popular show been canceled?
Produced by USA Network, the drama is based on the novel, La Reina Del Sur by Arturo Pérez-Reverte. It stars Alice Braga as Teresa Mendoza, a woman initially on the run from a powerful drug cartel. She then seeks refuge in the U.S. and learns the underground business that led her to operate her own cartel. The cast also includes Veronica Falcon, Hemky Madera, Peter Gadiot, Alfonso Herrera, and Justina Machado to name a few.
Queen of the South was renewed for season 5 on August 29, 2019, just before the airing of season 4 finale. After the finale, USA immediately released the first promo for the next season.
Has the popular show been canceled?
Actor Pablo Alsina shared on Twitter that shooting for Season 5 began on March 2. It was shortly suspended on March 14, following the strict lockdown policy to avoid spread of the contagious coronavirus disease. Initially shut down for three weeks, the show eventually failed to restart production months after.
This was confirmed by showrunner Dailyn Rodriguez, who also wrote on Twitter: “Season five was interrupted due to Covid. We have no idea when we will resume shooting or when we will premiere.”
Reports showed that the show started filming in New Orleans in March 2020. The show was set to air in June, but this obviously has been delayed due to the shooting shutdown.
Hence, Queen of the South Season 5 release will depend on when filming and/or post-production can recommence. Its season premiere which usually happens at the beginning of June, is unlikely to transpire for the upcoming season. In fact, it may see a later date than the usual next year.
On the good side, this also means that however delayed, the show has definitely not been canceled. A circulating rumor says that the show will return in March 2021, but it remains unverified by The USA Network.