Jeff VanderMeer announced on Bluesky that he will publish a fifth and final novel in his Southern Reach series titled 'Abdication'. The book is scheduled for release on October 12, 2027 by Macmillan Publishers. The Southern Reach series began with 2014's Annihilation, followed by Authority in 2016, Acceptance in 2018, and Absolution in 2024. The books follow a secret agency that oversees a remote region known as Area X. The first novel was adapted into a 2018 film directed by Alex Garland and starring Natalie Portman. IGN reviewer Jim Vejvoda wrote a review of the film. VanderMeer posted a teaser excerpt and a photograph of the manuscript's table of contents on Bluesky. Macmillan Publishers said the book will be available for preorder on Amazon. Jesse Deed, a staff writer for IGN, reported the announcement. The upcoming novel marks the end of the Southern Reach series, and no further installments have been announced.