Massive set, marquee creators, a cliffhanger built for more. So why did Netflix lock the bunker and toss the key?
Netflix has closed the hatch on El refugio atómico, the Spanish series from La Casa de Papel creators Álex Pina and Esther Martínez Lobato, after just one season. Mounted on an 8,000 m² set and set inside a luxury bunker for multimillionaires, it struggled to ignite beyond a 33% critics score and 59% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. The decision lands despite a cliffhanger and creators who had mapped out more, a reminder that viewership still calls the shots. Premiered on September 19, 2025 and led by Miren Ibarguren, Joaquín Furriel and Natalia Verbeke, it exits as abruptly as it arrived.
Netflix pulls the plug on El refugio atómico: a bold gamble cut short
When Netflix introduced El refugio atómico (The Atomic Shelter), it was positioned as one of Spain’s most ambitious series to date. Set inside a luxury bunker for multimillionaires, it combined a dystopian premise with renowned creators Álex Pina and Esther Martínez Lobato of La Casa de Papel, plus a spectacular 8,000 m² set built from scratch. Despite the grand plan, Netflix has announced its cancellation after just one season.
The collapse of a large-scale production
The production invested heavily in an immense 8,000 m² set designed to replicate the sealed world of an elite bunker sheltering Spain’s wealthiest from apocalyptic threats. Positioned as a flagship for Netflix Spain’s 2025 roster, the show’s scale was unmistakable. Reports of destruction to the set during dismantling, whether accidental or tied to the shutdown itself, underlined the unusual end of a project of this magnitude and raised questions inside the industry.
Mixed reviews and audience challenges
Premiering on Netflix on September 19, 2025, the series arrived with considerable visibility but delivered uneven reception. Critics registered a modest 33% on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences were somewhat warmer at 59%. Given the investment and creative risk, those metrics likely weighed against a renewal, suggesting the survivalist narrative did not connect broadly enough to sustain continued episodes.
Ambitions versus reality: views from the creators
Álex Pina and Esther Martínez Lobato had mapped a multi-season arc to deepen the psychological and social tensions of life underground. In interviews, they have emphasized that Netflix evaluates projects primarily through audience metrics alongside creative potential. A structure built on cliffhangers may not have converted sufficient viewers, limiting the viability of the long-term plan.
A cast left in limbo
The ensemble featured Miren Ibarguren, Joaquín Furriel, Natalia Verbeke, Carlos Santos, and Montse Guallar, a lineup that brought intensity to the bunker’s interpersonal conflicts. This abrupt halt leaves character journeys unresolved, with the cast poised for arcs that will now remain unexplored on screen.
A project lost but lessons to be learned
El refugio atómico sought to push boundaries with lavish infrastructure and a high-profile creative team, yet its path has ended prematurely. The cancellation illustrates the volatility of streaming-era storytelling, where scale and ambition meet the hard threshold of performance data, leaving viewers with a lingering cliffhanger and a project that will not advance further.