'The Originals' Season 4: CW Chief Hopeful for the 'TVD' Spinoff's Continuation Amid Cancellation Reports

In less than two months, The CW will air "The Originals" Season 4. There's still no news about a fifth installment and fans are worrying that the series may end with the upcoming season. However, the network is hoping that the "Vampire Diaries" spinoff will keep running.

During a recent TCA executive session, The CW President Mark Pedowitz was asked about the network's plans for this year. Among the biggest questions that Pedowitz received was regarding the continuation of "The Originals" Season 4. The said installment has not yet aired but cancellation rumors are already looming around. "The Vampire Diaries" will end its television run after the eighth season. Due to the origin show's conclusion, there were previous reports suggesting that "The Originals" may follow through. However, it may not be the end for the hit vampire spinoff yet.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Pedowitz explained that he spoke with "The Originals" Season 4 showrunner Julie Plec about the matter. Since the series has not yet premiered, talks for season 5 may kick off by May of this year. He said he is a fan of Plec and he is hoping that the show will continue airing. However, the CW boss pointed out, "A lot of it will depend of performance."

"The Vampire Diaries" ratings were largely affected by Nina Dobrev's departure. While the show's fall in ratings may not have had an impact on the ratings," fans started to worry when "The Originals" season 4 was pushed to a spring launch for the first time in the spinoff's history. This has led to speculations that the performance of "TVD" during its final season run may affect the renewal of its spinoff series for a fifth installment.

Cinema Blend notes that it would be an interesting sight to see if "The Vampire Diaries" season 8's finale will have an impact to the premiere of "The Originals" season 4. It has already been confirmed that Matt Davis' Alaric will make an appearance in the spinoff's eighth episode. This may boost the interest of fans, especially since Plec has yet to announce if there will be other "TVD" characters appearing in the spinoff show's fourth season.

"The Originals" season 4 is slated for premiere on March 17. "The Vampire Diaries" will conclude a week before that. Stay tuned for more updates on the renewal of the series.