'Ozark' Renewed For Fourth And Final Mega Season

Netflix just announced that Ozark will be returning for a fourth and final season — here’s what to expect

So, we’ve got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the Netflix original Ozark has officially been renewed for another season (yay!). The bad news is that it’ll be its last (boo!). But if it makes you feel any better, the fourth season will be expanded into two 7-episode parts, giving us an extra four episodes with the Byrdes.

Just in case you haven’t caught up on the third season, which premiered on the streaming platform back in March, we won’t talk about that explosive season finale, but it makes sense that Netflix wants to give Ozark’s final season some love. There’s a lot that money laundering husband-and-wife team Marty (Jason Bateman) and Wendy (Laura Linney) need to take care of, and there’s no way the standard ten episodes can cover that much ground. Showrunner Chris Mundy told Deadline, “We’re so happy Netflix recognized the importance of giving Ozark more time to end the Byrdes’ saga right. It’s been such a great adventure for all of us — both on screen and off — so we’re thrilled to get the chance to bring it home in the most fulfilling way possible.”

Bateman added, “A super-sized season means super-sized problems for the Byrdes. I’m excited to end with a bang(s).” We’re not sure how much more super-sized the Byrdes’ problems can get, but when you’re working for the largest, most menacing Mexican drug cartel and have to tip-toe around a very unhinged poppy farm owner (not to mention the KC mob) there’s a lot that can go wrong. And knowing the Byrde family, all of the things that can go wrong, will. All that we ask is that Ruth (Julia Garner) be protected at all costs.

For a sneak-peek into what to expect from Ozark Season 4, Netflix released an ominous teaser, writing, “They’re going to go out with a bang. Ozark will be back with an expanded 14-episode final season.”

Mundy spoke with Entertainment Weekly back in May and briefly hypothesized what the final season will entail. “If we’re lucky enough to get a Season 4, I think it will be about whether or not Ruth (Julia Garner) really can create something of her own that she wants and is sustainable, or if she wants something else. And I think it will be about if the Byrdes can they turn the biggest mistake of their lives into this huge advantage, and how much will karma catch up with them if they do?”

We currently don’t have a release date for Season 4, but Deadline predicts the earliest we’ll be reunited with the Byrde fam and company will be 2021, but this may all depend on how COVID-19 affects production.

Netflix’s VP of Original Content, Cindy Holland, told Deadline, “Ozark is a gripping drama that has captivated audiences all around the world and garnered tremendous critical acclaim. We’re so grateful to Chris, Jason, Laura, Julia and the entire cast and crew for all their tireless dedication to the show and can’t wait to see how the Byrdes’ journey comes to a close.”

We can’t, either. But hopefully that “bang” won’t be directed at the Byrde family.