Joe Bob addresses The Last Drive-In's cancellation and announces new horror production company

Joe Bob Briggs and Darcy the Mail Girl - Courtesy of Shudder

It's only been a few days since the series finale of The Last Drive-In aired, and fans are still baffled as to why Shudder suddenly cancelled the long-running program. Over its seven seasons, Joe Bob Briggs and Darcy the Mail Girl cultivated a loyal fanbase known as the Mutant Family. The reaction to the cancellation among the horror community was all over social media last weekend. But as Joe Bob always says, the drive-in will never die. In a new interview with Variety, the horror host confirmed there are plans in the works, including a new horror production company.

Briggs admitted that the decision to wait to announce the series finale wasn't his choice, stating, "I wanted to tell people earlier, but the decision was made to just tell people on the day of the final show." He added, “So I wanted as many people as possible to watch that final show, but I didn’t have control of that.” The day before the finale aired, Briggs posted an emotional video on social media, urging the Mutant Family to tune in. After that, fans dreaded that the series would be cancelled. They were right.

Though Shudder's decision took an emotional toll, Briggs described it as "the most joyous" cancellation he ever had, noting the immense response from the fans and an outpouring of support, including phone calls, e-mails, and social media posts. "Nobody was saying, 'Well, the show finally played out, didn't it? It ran its course.' You know, nobody was doing that narrative on this one."

It's unclear where Briggs will eventually wind up, but he and Darcy both confirmed they're not finished yet. It's likely another streaming service will be eager to pick them up, but before that, they have four more specials on Shudder, including Joe Bob's Witchy Wingding on April 24. That will be followed by a summer special, and Briggs already teased it'll feature a title he's been trying to host for 30 years. The final two specials will be for Halloween and Christmas.

The horror host has another major project on the horizon - a production company. He told Variety that his friend Bob Bernie at Picturehouse encouraged him to launch it, and now they're signing the final papers. "We have a production slate. We have projects to make, and I'll be able to spend time on that," he said.

The Mutant Fam will also be happy to know that wherever Briggs eventually lands, Darcy won't be leaving his side. He said that she's the "brains behind the show," adding that she suggests the topics, movies, and even the guests. Briggs admitted, "And a lot of times it's something that I wouldn't have come up with on my own if she hadn't told me." He even confessed that she's seen more movies than he has, before reiterating she'll be involved with anything he does in the future.

While fans may still be irked at Shudder for the cancellation, Briggs only expressed gratitude to the network, crediting the streamer for propelling him to the forefront of the horror world. For now, four more specials remain and a new horror production company. We'll certainly be seeing more of Briggs and Darcy in the near future.

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