Lucifer Season 7 - Will It Ever Happen?
Chronicling the Earthly adventures of the Devil, "Lucifer" aired for six seasons between 2016 and 2021, and believe it or not, was based on a DC Comics title of the same name about the deity who ruled the superhero underworld. On television, the series starred Tom Ellis as Lucifer Morningstar, the ruler of Hell, who has gotten tired of his job down below and come to live among humans in Los Angeles. There, he works as a consultant to local police detective Chloe Decker (Lauren German), and somewhat unusually helps track down the worst criminals in the City of Angels while fellow demons try to convince him to come home.
After a turbulent first three seasons on Fox, "Lucifer" found new life on streaming after being picked up by Netflix in 2019. It gained an even bigger fan following there and thrived for an additional three seasons. In 2021, though, the series came to a close after Season 6, and ever since, audiences have been wondering if they will ever see Ellis' "Lucifer" again.
As a character with incredible other-worldly powers who's lived for untold millennia — not to mention his awe-inspiring family of angels and demons — there's no shortage of stories that could be told about Lucifer Morningstar. But will we ever see that elusive Season 7, and if we do, what would it be like? And what do the creators of the show have to say about the possibility of producing another season?
What you need to know about Lucifer
"Lucifer" may be centered on the literal Devil, but it's not your average religious fantasy drama. The series does something truly unique, mixing in elements of horror, mystery, thriller, and police procedural, with Lucifer Morningstar helping out on cases with the Los Angeles Police Department and running a successful nightclub to boot. Beside Lucifer is Detective Chloe Decker, a dedicated cop who is somehow immune to his manipulative powers.
In addition to taking on the most grisly crimes, Lucifer and Decker must contend with Decker's disgruntled ex-husband Dan (Kevin Alejandro), who is a fellow detective, and Lucifer's brother Amenadiel (D.B. Woodside). The familial angel wants Lucifer to return to his domain below and will do whatever it takes to get him back to ruling Hell. To make things more complicated, though, Lucifer's immortality seems to wane whenever Decker is near, making their already difficult partnership all the more problematic when they fall in love.
Over the course of the series, Amenadiel is joined by his mother (Tricia Helfer) — the goddess of creation — and the biblical Cain (Tom Welling), among others, who cause Earthly problems for Lucifer. But when Decker discovers Lucifer's true face, she struggles to accept that she's in love with the Devil. In the show's final year, Lucifer actually does the unthinkable, attempting to fill the shoes of God himself while trying to rescue Dan who is trapped in Hell — all while trying to find a new place for himself in the universe.
Why Netflix canceled Lucifer
It may be tempting to assume that "Lucifer" was canceled due to lack of viewership, or even some ill-timed cost-cutting from the famously mercurial Netflix. But the truth is, "Lucifer" ended on its own terms, closing out its run by the decision of the series' showrunners Joe Henderson and Ildy Modrovich, who knew when it was time to say goodbye. In fact, as Henderson explained to Entertainment Weekly, the ending was nearly preordained. "It's the story we were always going to tell," he said.
According to Henderson, the show was almost going to end after Season 5, but it was actually Netflix who wanted them to return for one more year. As a result, the story was split up into two seasons of 16 and 10 episodes each. "What we realized is that the last bit of that [series] finale episode was actually a lot of great stories sped up just to give us a satisfying ending for all our characters," said Modrovich. "We literally lobbed off Act Six and went, 'Let's take what happens in Act Six in a scene and dive into it, and really explore how our characters end up where they ended up.' So, that ended up being our nugget for Season 6."
In the end, Henderson and Modrovich knew the story was over, whether it was one season or two. "This [is] our last story," Henderson resolved. With both showrunners telling the story they wanted, the series ended to their satisfaction. But could they return for a Season 7?
Why Lucifer Season 7 hasn't happened yet
"Lucifer" already said goodbye twice: in 2018 it was canceled after just three seasons on Fox, a victim of poor ratings for a prime-time series on a major TV network (not to mention its hefty budget). Thankfully, streaming giant Netflix swooped in and rescued the series, giving it three more seasons and 36 additional episodes, much to the delight of fans. But since it bid adieu in 2021, there hasn't been much of a peep regarding a return for Season 7, whether now or in the future.
As it stands, the sixth season finale was a fitting end for Lucifer and the series as a whole. It ended with Lucifer becoming a therapist, of all things, and the credits rolled after a brief reunion when Decker entered his office, ostensibly as his next patient. As the show's co-showrunners have said, this was the perfect farewell, and the lack of a seventh season at this point is really no mystery: The people behind the show simply don't seem all that interested in bringing the cast back for more when it's so fresh from having ended its phenomenal run.
Still, considering the series has already survived one ending, might it survive another to live again? Revivals after years off the air are nothing new, and shows like "Good Omens" and "American Gods" have proven there's a thriving appetite for offbeat stories about biblical angels and demons on Earth. But a return for "Lucifer" may still be an uphill battle.
Who would star in Lucifer Season 7?
The cast of "Lucifer" went through a number of changes during its six seasons on the air. While Tom Ellis and Lauren Graham headlined the series for its entire run as Lucifer Morningstar and Detective Decker, respectively, several others came and went. For example, Kevin Alejandro, D.B. Woodside, and Lesley-Ann Brandt made it through all six seasons as Detective Espinoza, Amenadiel, and the demon Mazikeen, but Kevin Rankin (Detective Graham) was long gone by Season 6. The likes of Tom Welling and Tricia Helfer also had only single-season stints as series regulars midway through the show, while Brianna Hildebrand (who played Rory, Lucifer and Decker's daughter) was added to the show in its final year.
If "Lucifer" is to be taken seriously in a potential seventh season, though, Ellis and Graham will have to reprise their roles at the very least. It's also possible that Alejandro and Helfer could return, given how their story was left at the end of Season 6. Meanwhile, Brandt could say goodbye — alongside fellow late-series cast member Inbar Lav, who played Eve — but wouldn't necessarily have to be back, as the couple could be off living happily ever after (perhaps in their own spin-off).
While it's likely that a Season 7 would bring back most of the show's roster of stars, it wouldn't be hard to imagine some new actors joining the ensemble, depending on what direction the story would take. Whether that's a new demon or angel, or even another fellow detective, there's plenty of room for some fresh talent.
What would Lucifer Season 7 be about?
Since the producers behind "Lucifer" never planned for the story to continue past the events seen in the finale of Season 6, it's fair to wonder what a possible Season 7 might be about. Nevertheless, there's plenty to speculate on given where the finale left all of its characters, including the titular Lucifer. In the final installment, we see him having entirely abandoned both his duties as ruler of Hell and his temporary position as God, which is now being performed by his brother Amenadiel.
One potential angle for a continuation might be to flip the entire premise on its head by ditching the police procedural format entirely and turning the series into more of a medical procedure of sorts. Given the producers' desire to end the series as it was, it stands to reason they'd be looking for a fresh approach if they were to bring it back, and the notion of the Devil incarnate serving as counsel to patients struggling with their mental health could be just the kind of new idea to allow the show to continue. And with his vast experiences on Earth and beyond, not to mention his millennia-old lifespan, who better to listen and offer advice than Lucifer?
Similarly, the new roles for the supporting cast offer plenty of opportunity for continuation, with Mazikeen and Eve now romantically involved and serving as villain hunters themselves. Meanwhile, the continuation of the family line in the form of Amenadiel's son Charlie (Kruz Rambo) could see a new young demon join the cast.
What has the cast and crew said about Lucifer Season 7?
The cast of "Lucifer" has been mum on their interest in returning for the series as of press time. But while we've heard that co-showrunners Joe Henderson and Ilya Modrovich were content to wrap up the show after Season 6 and never gave any thought at the time to another season, that's not quite the end of their comments on the issue. A year after the series concluded, they seemed at least somewhat open to thinking about a future for the show. Coinciding with the release of "Lucifer" on home media, they sat down for an interview with Screen Rant in September of 2022, where they were asked about the possibility of another go.
"I mean, I hope so," Henderson said, referring to whether they'd ever want to do more. "We loved making the show, we loved working with these people. I think hopefully at some point, we can find a way to come back, or at least revisit or do something." Whether that means another full season, a single streaming movie, or a spin-off, it sounds like Henderson is most excited about reuniting with his cast and crew, no matter what form it takes. "It was such a great time, it's such a great experience, and we love these people, so never say never."
Of course, Modrovich couldn't resist the chance to slip in a somewhat sly response herself. "My vote is for 'Lucifer The Musical,' personally, on Broadway," she joked, while Henderson followed with the sarcastic suggestion of "Lucifer: The Animated Series."
Fans want a seventh season of Lucifer
Fans of "Lucifer" have proven just how dedicated they are to their favorite series; it was a fan-driven effort that got the series back from the brink of cancelation in 2018 when it was axed by Fox. Banding together as only fans can, they started a "Save Lucifer" campaign that burned up social media and forced Hollywood to take notice. Eventually, that passionate outpouring of fan support convinced Netflix to take a leap of faith and bring the series back, which ultimately led to three successful follow-up seasons. Flash forward to the show's conclusion on streaming, and the fans were back at it hoping to convince the powers-that-be to do it again.
Fans rallied on Change.org the first time, with a 2018 petition that garnered in excess of 300,000 signatures to save the show. In 2019, fans once again gained more than 119,000+ supporters to get the show a sixth season. And while several current petitions on the site have yet to crack those lofty figures, their repeated appearance is proof enough that fans of the show aren't to be overlooked.
A petition to bring Lucifer and Decker back for "Lucifer: The Movie" has amassed several thousand signatures, too — numbers that Netflix is surely paying attention to. Suffice it to say, if there ever is going to be a Season 7, it will be the fans of the show who will likely be playing a role in helping make it happen.
Could we see Lucifer outside of Season 7?
Sure, what fans really want to see is another full season of "Lucifer," or perhaps a full movie that directly follows Season 6 of the show. That being said, there may be opportunities for Tom Ellis to reprise his title role somewhere other than a traditional revival. For starters, he's already turned up in a cameo in CW's "Crisis on Infinite Earths" storyline that included Tyler Hoechlin's Superman. Is it possible we could see Lucifer back in action in Hoechlin's "Superman & Lois"? It may seem like a long shot, but it's certainly possible.
Similarly, James Gunn is assembling an all-new DC universe of films, and though much of it is expected to be entirely new — with the likes of David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan replacing the outgoing Henry Cavill and Amy Adams — he's not averse to bringing in existing characters and actors, as evidenced by the return of his "Peacemaker" cast. So far, he hasn't recruited anyone from the vast universe of television shows, but it's certainly not a hard-and-fast rule, and we've seen rival Marvel do that very thing when they brought Charlie Cox into the MCU.
With Gunn's initial "Gods and Monsters" phase of the new DCU putting an emphasis on the bizarre, it could very well require a devil to oversee the spiritual side of things. If it does, Gunn could recruit Ellis to fill that role as Lucifer.
There is already a new Lucifer
If there's anything standing in the way of Tom Ellis returning as Lucifer Morningstar, it might be another show based on a wildly popular DC comic book that has since launched. That would be "The Sandman," which also airs on Netflix, and also happens to feature the very same character in a prominent supporting role, but played by an entirely different actor.
Based on the critically acclaimed series by author Neil Gaiman, "The Sandman" stars Tom Sturridge as Lord Morpheus, the embodiment of dreams and nightmares. Additionally, Gwendoline Christie plays the ruler of Hell, Lucifer Morningstar, and Cassie Claire plays the demon Mazikeen. When asked why it wasn't Ellis playing the role in the series, Gaiman was frank about his decision, describing the version of the character on "Lucifer" as quite far from his original comic book counterpart. "You can't easily retrofit the 'Lucifer' version [of the character] back to 'Sandman," Gaiman explained on Tumblr. "It seemed easier and more fun to have the 'Sandman' version of Lucifer be, well, much closer to the 'Sandman' version of Lucifer."
For fans of the character, they may well get some enjoyment out of seeing Christie playing a slightly different take on the Devil. But Netflix may not be so eager to have two versions of the character running around on two separate shows. Of course, fans of comic book adaptations have shown a willingness to embrace multiple versions of the same character, so it might not be much of a roadblock at all.
How Lucifer Season 7 could still happen
If there is ever going to be a Season 7 of "Lucifer," there is a way that it could happen. Though the two showrunners have glibly responded to questions with offers of a musical and an animated series, they also seem genuinely interested in revisiting the character at some point down the line. With streaming services also struggling in 2023 — in part due to writer and actor strikes — the need for established hits could see Tom Ellis pulled back into his popular role.
That's not the only way we could see a Season 7, though. There's also the possibility that the further adventures of Lucifer Morningstar could be explored outside of live-action TV. Though it was a sarcastic comment at the time, Henderson's suggestion of an animated offering might be a legitimate possibility. After all, the classic 1960s "Batman" series got a pair of animated movie sequels, and there's long been talk of an animated "Smallville" follow-up. Plus, the show featured an animated episode in Season 6, showing that the format is doable.
Another possibility with some merit could be turning a potential Season 7 into a comic book sequel series, bringing the show back to its source material medium. From "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" to "Smallville" and "The X-Files," a number of hit shows have given fans additional "seasons" in comic book form. In the case of "X-Men: The Animated Series," the comic book sequel "X-Men '92" even led to a revival of the show itself.