It’s the question that has haunted YA fans for years: why did they never make the fourth and final Divergent movie? Even star Shailene Woodley has wondered the same thing. Despite the massive success of the book series and a blockbuster first film, the franchise came to an abrupt and awkward halt before its conclusion. Here’s a full breakdown of why Ascendant — the planned final installment — never saw the light of day.
The Divergent series was adapted from Veronica Roth’s best-selling novels, following Woodley’s Tris Prior as she navigates a dystopian Chicago divided into five factions: Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless and Erudite. Arriving during the peak of the YA craze alongside Harry Potter, Twilight and The Hunger Games, the first film was a hit. Two sequels, Insurgent and Allegiant, followed soon after.
Originally, the story was supposed to end with a two-part finale. In April 2014 — just a month after the first film’s release — Lionsgate announced that the final book, Allegiant, would be split into two films. Ascendant was slated to hit theaters on March 24, 2017, following Allegiant’s 2016 debut. Production for the third film kicked off in Atlanta between May and August 2015, and the fourth was expected to begin in summer 2016.
However, the project quickly hit roadblocks. In February 2016, director Robert Schwentke stepped down after completing Insurgent and Allegiant. Leo Toland Kreiger was later tapped to replace him. Then came the real blow: box office numbers.
Released on March 18, 2016, Allegiant grossed just $179.2 million worldwide against its $142 million budget, making it the lowest-performing film in the franchise. The lackluster performance forced Lionsgate to rethink its strategy — and ultimately, Ascendant was scrapped as a theatrical film.
What would the fourth movie have covered? The planned Ascendant would have adapted the second half of Roth’s final novel. After discovering that their city was part of a genetic experiment run by a group called the Bureau, Tris and her friends attempt to expose them. Their leader, David, plans to unleash a serum to wipe everyone’s memories and restart the experiment — setting up a climactic showdown that fans never got to see on screen.
Woodley has been candid about her feelings on the matter. She initially pushed for a theatrical finale rather than the rumored TV movie format, saying she “didn’t sign up to be in a television show.” Over the years, she’s expressed both peace with the franchise ending and a renewed openness to revisiting it — though she admits it would be complicated to return to the characters at their older ages. Here’s to hoping!
