‘Longmire’ May Get Its Fourth Season; Netflix, Show Producers Negotiate

The "Longmire" television show about the sheriff of a fictional Wyoming county may ride again, according to a Hollywood news website.

"Deadline Hollywood" reported Thursday the movie-streaming Netflix and "Longmire" producer Warner Horizon are negotiating the terms to resurrect it, which the A&E Network abruptly cancelled in August after its third season even though it was the network's most-watched scripted show.

It is by no means a done deal, reporter Nellie Andreeva wrote.

"Sources caution that negotiations between Netflix and Longmire producer Warner Horizon have been tricky, and there is a change that a final agreement may not be reached, though there is a will on both sides and insiders are hopeful," Andreeva wrote.

The show was based on the modern Western book series by Craig Johnson, who lives outside Buffalo.

In his books and on the show, Sheriff Walt Longmire tries to keep law and order in the fictional Absaroka County — loosely modeled on Johnson County — from the fictional county seat of Durant, loosely modeled on Buffalo. The town has hosted Longmire Days for the past three summers, attracting upwards of 8,000 visitors to party and meet Johnson and the show's actors.

Johnson said last month A&E's initial explanation for the show's cancellation -- that it didn't appeal to the network’s targeted audience of younger viewers -- didn't wash.

He later learned the real reason, namely A&E wanted the show's rights as well as the advertising revenue it brought.

Warner Horizon turned down A&E's bid for the rights, and the network cancelled the show.

Since then, Warner Horizon has been shopping the show with the help of a huge and passionate fan base, mostly through the Facebook page Longmire Posse.

Longmire Posse creator Pamela Nordick said the negotiations are good news, but echoed Andreeva's caution.

"I wasn't surprised by this news, but it's still a tenuous situation as there has been no contractual agreement met yet," Nordick said Friday.

Her website has a fanatical base that has made an impact on the future of "Longmire," she said.

"The industry is taking notice of what we're doing, and the industry as a whole is hearing us; the networks are hearing us," Nordick said.