(VIDEO) Smiling Friends to End with Season 3: Creators Scrap Seasons 4 and 5 in Surprise Farewell

In a move that has stunned the animation community and sent shockwaves through the Adult Swim fanbase, creators Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel officially announced on February 25 and 26, 2026, that their cult-hit series Smiling Friends will conclude after its third season. This decision comes as a massive reversal of earlier industry reports, as the show had been formally renewed for fourth and fifth seasons in June 2025.

The "Not a Bit" Announcement

The news broke via a synchronized video and audio message released across Adult Swim's social media and YouTube channels. Zach Hadel, known to fans as the voice of Charlie, addressed the audience with uncharacteristic sobriety.

"I'm gonna cut right to the chase," Hadel stated in the announcement. "This is not a bit, this is not a joke. Michael and I are here to announce that 'Smiling Friends' will be ending after Season 3 is done. We know that's super disappointing to hear, but we've put 110% into this, and we want to go out on top."

The creators emphasized that while the network and their representatives were eager for the show to continue—with some joking about reaching "Season 80"—the decision to pull the plug was entirely their own.

Why Now? Burnout and Artistic Integrity

The primary driver behind the sudden conclusion is creative burnout. Cusack and Hadel, who are famously hands-on with every aspect of the show—from writing and voice acting to character design and final animation reviews—explained that the intense workload has taken its toll.

"To be perfectly honest, after we finished Season 3, Zach and I just both had the same feeling where we felt pretty burnt out after putting years and years into this," Cusack explained. The duo expressed a deep-seated fear of the show becoming "slop" or overstaying its welcome, citing a desire to avoid the "zombie" status often attributed to long-running animated sitcoms.

The "Lost" Episodes: A Final Encore

While the main run of Season 3 concluded in late 2025, fans have one final date to mark on their calendars. The creators confirmed that two unreleased "straggler" episodes, produced during the Season 3 cycle but held back for polish, will premiere on April 12, 2026, at 11 p.m. ET on Adult Swim.

Hadel clarified that these are not intended to be a "grand, serialized finale" in the traditional sense, but rather a "fond encore" that rounds out the Season 3 order to a total of 10 episodes. These episodes are expected to be added to the Max streaming library the following day.

Scrapping the Future: The Status of Seasons 4 and 5

The most shocking aspect for many was the definitive cancellation of the previously announced Seasons 4 and 5. In June 2025, The Hollywood Reporter had confirmed a two-season pickup for the show following its massive success on Max. However, the creators have officially scrapped these renewals.

Adult Swim leadership reportedly supported the decision, telling the creators: "If you're not feeling like making a cartoon, we're not going to stop you. Go have a break. Either come back or don't."

Legacy of a Surreal Masterpiece

Smiling Friends debuted as an unannounced April Fools' pilot in 2020 and grew into a global phenomenon. Its blend of grotesque, elastic animation, deadpan dialogue, and surprisingly grounded takes on mental health made it a flagship for the "Post-Rick and Morty" era of Adult Swim.

What's Next for Cusack and Hadel?

The creators were quick to reassure fans that this is not the end of their partnership. Both are already looking toward new, unannounced projects that will allow them to "refresh" their creative palettes. Cusack likened the move to Paul McCartney forming the band Wings after the breakup of The Beatles—an opportunity to start again with a clean slate.

While the "Smiling Friends" company may be closing its doors for now, the door remains "cracked" for potential one-off specials or a movie in the distant future, should the creators feel the spark again. For now, however, Pim and Charlie's mission to make the world smile concludes on their own terms, leaving behind a "perfect little box set" of surrealist comedy.