Netflix’s 'The Lincoln Lawyer' Will Officially Not Return in 2026

Netflix has had plenty to celebrate in 2026, as the streamer has once again introduced a string of acclaimed new shows that have kept audiences hooked and reinforced its position as one of the best. But for fans of some of its biggest hits, the year has also brought an unavoidable sense of loss. Several established series are preparing to bow out, marking the end of an era for viewers who have followed their stories for years. The streamer has, however, honored these shows and their fans by giving creators the chance to conclude their stories on their own terms. Some shows in this camp are Emily in Paris, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, The Witcher, The Night Agent, and The Lincoln Lawyer, and these familiar favorites are heading toward the finish line.

Among the aforementioned, Netflix’s decision to end The Night Agent and The Lincoln Lawyer has been the toughest for fans of the two acclaimed thriller series. Many viewers believe both shows still had plenty of story left to tell and could easily have sustained several more seasons. The Lincoln Lawyer creator and writer, Ted Humphrey, echoed same sentiment in an interview with Collider, admitting that “we could have kept this show going for another season or two, and we had ideas to do that.” However, Humphrey expressed gratitude to Netflix for allowing the team to bring the story to a proper conclusion, describing the opportunity as a “luxury” that many traditional broadcast shows don’t get.

Netflix renewed The Lincoln Lawyer for Season 5 ahead of the Season 4 premiere. But after the latest installment performed impressively on the charts, the streamer broke the shocking news that Season 5 would be the show’s last. Production on the final chapter began in March and wrapped in July, leading some fans to hope that the series might return sooner rather than later. However, a new update from executive producer Michael Connelly has confirmed Season 5’s release window. In a reply to a fan on Threads, Connelly confirmed that The Lincoln Lawyer Season 5 won’t arrive until 2027. “Season 5 is coming in 2027,” he wrote beneath a post celebrating the release of his new Harry Bosch novel, The Hollow. Although the wait may be longer than some fans anticipated, the release window aligns with the show’s previously established timeline.

Four Netflix characters, four completely different ways of showing up
for somebody. This is the one who fits how you actually do friendship, and what having them in your
life would be like.

You do not do friendship at half volume, and neither does he.
What you want is somebody who says yes to the plan before you have finished describing the
plan.

• Dustin is the friend the entire show runs on: loyal past the point of sense,
  enthusiastic about everything, and incapable of leaving anybody behind.
• You have the same instinct. Your friendships are loud, specific and slightly ridiculous,
  and they last for decades because of it.
• He is also the one person who would take your strangest interest completely seriously,
  which is far rarer than it sounds.
• You would have a group chat. It would never once be quiet.

You are the friend who makes things happen, and so is she.
Together you would be mildly exhausting to everyone around you and completely delighted with
yourselves.

• Emily treats an ordinary Tuesday as something that could be turned into an occasion,
  which is either the best or the worst quality in a friend depending on your energy
  levels.
• You share her refusal to sit still. Neither of you has ever accepted a night in when
  something was happening somewhere else.
• She is far more loyal than people give her credit for. She defends her friends loudly,
  publicly, and occasionally before checking the facts.
• She would post the photo without asking. You would forgive her, because it is a very
  good photo.

You have no patience for pleasant lies, and she has no ability to
tell them. What looks like coldness from the outside is the most reliable friendship on this
list.

• Wednesday never says a kind thing she does not mean, which makes the rare ones count for
  an enormous amount.
• You would rather be told the truth than be made comfortable. She is constitutionally
  incapable of offering you anything else.
• Underneath all of it she is ferociously protective. She simply refuses to make a
  performance out of caring.
• Do not expect a birthday message. Do expect her to ruin anyone who wrongs you.

You look after whoever is having the worst day. So does he. It is
the least strategic way to move through the world and the best possible quality in a friend.

• Gi-hun is not the strongest player in Squid Game, or the cleverest. He is the one who
  keeps choosing to protect somebody else, over and over, at genuine cost to himself.
• You have the same instinct. You notice who is struggling and you stay with them, long
  after anybody would blame you for leaving.
• He is a flawed friend, and that is part of why it lands. He lets people down, then comes
  back and tries again, which is more than most manage.
• He would give you his last chance and never once mention that he had done it.

Netflix Is Developing a ‘Lincoln Lawyer’ Spin-off

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Image via Netflix

Image via Netflix

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Image via Netflix

• Image via Netflix

• Image via Netflix

• Image via Netflix

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Image via Netflix

Image via Netflix

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Image via Netflix

Image via Netflix

Although The Lincoln Lawyer is ending, Netflix may not be done with the world Michael Connelly created just yet. Season 5 will adapt Connelly’s 2023 novel Resurrection Walk and pick up after the events of the Season 4 finale, which revealed that Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) had a half-sister, Emi Finch, whom he never knew about. Cobie Smulders is set to reprise the role, alongside returning cast members Neve Campbell, Krista Warner, Angelica Maria, and Gigi Zumbado.

Netflix is building upon that Season 4 cliffhanger reveal as the streamer is officially developing a spin-off centered on Emi. Given her connection to Mickey, Garcia-Rulfo could potentially appear in the new series, allowing the original show’s lead to remain part of the franchise in some capacity. A similar approach has worked for Amazon’s Bosch universe, where Titus Welliver continues to play Harry Bosch in the spin-off Ballard after the original series ended.

The Lincoln Lawyer spin-off is reportedly being developed for a quick turnaround, raising the possibility that it could arrive relatively soon after the flagship series concludes. The project is also being developed by familiar creative talent, with The Lincoln Lawyer writers Ted Humphrey, Dailyn Rodriguez, and Matthew J. Lieberman involved.

The Lincoln Lawyer Season 5 is expected to premiere in early 2027. Stay tuned for further updates as we learn more about the show’s final chapter and its planned spin-off.

The Lincoln Lawyer