Netflix thriller YOU starring Penn Badgley renewed for fifth and final season

The popular thriller You,    in which Penn Badgley plays the relentless serial killer Joe Goldberg, was confirmed by Netflix for a fifth and final season. Sera Gamble, who co-created You    with Greg Berlanti and oversaw its first four seasons as showrunner, will be replaced as executive producers by Michael Foley and Justin W. Lo for season 5.

"As I step back from day-to-day showrunning to focus on new projects, I’m immensely grateful to co-creator and all-around genius Greg Berlanti, Caroline Kepnes, my friends at Berlanti Productions and Alloy Entertainment, and our steadfast partners at Warner Bros and Netflix," Gamble said in a statement.

"Making the show alongside our writers, producers, directors, cast, and crew has been an honor and ridiculously fun. And I feel lucky to have worked with an artist as gifted and thoughtful as Penn Badgely. I’m proud of what we’ve all accomplished and feel privileged to pass the torch. I’m excited to watch and support the You    team as they bring Joe Goldberg’s journey to its delightfully twisted conclusion."

It's a tragic finale for You, which made its Lifetime debut in 2018 before being canceled. But on December 26, 2018, You    debuted on its streaming partner Netflix and quickly became a huge, meme-inspiring success. You    was swiftly brought back to life by Netflix, and it has since become a huge hit on the streaming service.

Netflix foreshadowed Joe's future along with the announcement by posing the question, "Will Joe Goldberg finally get his judgment day?"

"I thought it was the only way it could go," said Badgley during an interview for the February 15 cover of Variety about where Joe's life concluded.

In that story, Badgley was also surprised by what it might look like for Joe to get his just deserts. "Is killing Joe enough?" he queried. "Whoever kills him is brought down to his level."

Berlanti and executive producer Sarah Schechter also noted in a statement, saying: "We are so incredibly grateful to Netflix and Sera and everyone that has been a part of this show from the beginning. Sera is the most brilliant writer and partner and she will remain a key part of the ‘You’ family as an executive producer. We intend to bring her every idea we can from our company for years to come. Ever since our friends at Alloy shared Caroline Kepnes’ fantastic book we have always conceived it as a five season journey. We are excited to continue our relationship with Mike and Justin as they take over the reins as co-showrunners and prepare to bring Joe Goldberg home."

Netflix’s Peter Friedlander, the vice president of scripted series for the U.S. and Canada, said: "'You' became an instant sensation on Netflix with a resounding cultural impact that has grown season over season. We’re excited — and a bit terrified — to see how it all ends for Joe Goldberg, but one thing is for sure: ‘You’ are in for an unforgettable ending."