Fans eagerly await the sequels to their beloved series hits. But when will the new seasons of “Wednesday,” “House of the Dragon,” “Bridgerton,” or “Stranger Things” be released? Here’s an overview.
“The Last of Us” The video game adaptation “The Last of Us” captivated audiences and critics alike in early 2023. The post-apocalyptic series starring Pedro Pascal (as Joel, 48) and Bella Ramsey (as Ellie, 20) in lead roles was renewed for a second season by HBO less than two weeks after the premiere episode aired.
However, due to the double strikes by Hollywood’s screenwriters and actors, the production of the sequel couldn’t commence immediately. With the strikes now over, production for Season 2 is set to begin in early 2024. Considering the elaborate production of the first season, which took a total of 200 shooting days, and factoring in post-production time, it seems unlikely for Season 2 to start in 2024. Fans will have to endure a long wait, and the new episodes are expected around 2025. Season 2 will adapt the highly popular video game sequel “The Last of Us Part II” from 2020, and the series creators plan to explore the events of the game over multiple seasons.
“House of the Dragon” The highly anticipated second season of “House of the Dragon” is set to release in the summer of 2024, according to the first teaser trailer. The continuation will be available on HBO and its streaming service Max, likely simultaneously in Germany on Sky and Wow. The production of Season 2 continued during the Hollywood strikes, and the season has already been completed.
Following the shocking events in the last moments of the premiere season, the “Dance of the Dragons” Targaryen civil war for control over Westeros will escalate in the new episodes. Returning cast members include Matt Smith (41), Emma D’Arcy (31), Rhys Ifans (56), and Olivia Cooke (29). New additions include Gayle Rankin (“GLOW,” 34), Simon Russell Beale (“The Death of Stalin,” 62), and Tom Taylor (“The Dark Tower,” 22).
“The White Lotus” HBO’s third successful series, “The White Lotus,” has flown a bit under the radar in Germany compared to the mentioned shows. However, with ten Emmy Awards for Season 1 and 24 nominations for the second edition, it’s surprising. Season 3, set to release in 2025 on HBO, will explore a new location: a White Lotus resort in Thailand. The continuation promises a satirical and humorous take on death, Eastern religion, and spirituality, featuring a new ensemble cast. The only returning character from Season 1 is Natasha Rothwell (43) as Belinda.
“Wednesday” The second season of “Wednesday” still has some question marks surrounding it. The confirmation of the continuation of the current most successful English-language series on Netflix came at the beginning of the year. However, the Hollywood actors’ and writers’ strike significantly slowed down production. According to US industry magazines, cameras for Season 2 are expected to roll at the end of April 2024. A return of the character portrayed by Jenna Ortega (21) is unlikely before 2025.
Ortega has teased more horror elements in Season 2 and mentioned that her character, Wednesday, will remain single in the new episodes. However, there is no news yet about the plot or casting. Additionally, there are reports of a spin-off featuring the character played by comedian Fred Armisen (57), Uncle Fester, in development at Netflix, although it has not been officially confirmed by the streaming service.
“And Just Like That…” Fans of Carrie, Miranda, and company will have to be patient. The confirmed third season of the “Sex and the City” revival, “And Just Like That…,” will not premiere until 2025 on HBO. Between seasons one and two, viewers already endured a seemingly endless wait of 16 months.
The actors’ and writers’ double strike in the second half of 2023 further delayed the production start of Season 3. The upcoming season will reveal, among other things, whether the main character played by Sarah Jessica Parker (58) actually waited for John Corbett’s (62) Aidan for many years.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” Unlike many other series affected by the Hollywood double strike in 2023, there’s good news for Tolkien fans. Amazon’s flagship project, “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” completed filming for the second season in June 2023. The new episodes are expected to be released sometime in 2024, although Amazon has not provided an official date or release window.
The plot details are currently scarce, but it’s known that the major antagonist, Sauron, will take center stage after the revelation of his true identity. Middle-earth fans can also look forward to a large-scale battle spanning two episodes. Some new cast members, including Ciarán Hinds (70) from “Game of Thrones,” have been officially confirmed by Amazon.
“Stranger Things” The immensely popular Netflix series “Stranger Things” is set to return with a new season. However, the fifth and final installment of the mystery show is expected no earlier than the end of 2024 on the streaming service. The Hollywood double strike in 2023 also delayed the production of the “Stranger Things” sequel. Cameras are set to start rolling for Season 5 in early January 2024.
There are not many reliable details about the conclusion of the fantastic retro series. The series finale is expected to be highly emotional and dramatic. “Terminator” icon Linda Hamilton (67) is also joining the cast. The role she will play remains unknown at present.
“Bridgerton” The popular Netflix series “Bridgerton” continued this year with the spin-off “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story,” exploring a prequel about the titular character. However, fans should remember that a third and fourth season of the much-loved historical drama are already confirmed.
Filming for the third installment concluded in March 2023. In early December, Netflix announced that the new episodes would be split into two parts. Part one, consisting of four episodes, will premiere on May 16, 2024, on the streaming service. Part two, also featuring four episodes, will conclude the third season on June 13.
As is customary for the romantic historical series, fans should prepare for some cast changes. Season one lead Phoebe Dynevor (28) has confirmed that she will not appear in the third season, following the exit of her on-screen husband, Regé-Jean Page (35), after the premiere season.
Returning for the upcoming episodes are the main actors from the second season, Jonathan Bailey (35) and Simone Ashley (28), portraying Anthony and Kate Bridgerton. While the third season will focus on the married life of these characters, a new love story will take center stage: Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton, 30) embarks on a quest to find a suitable wife.
“Squid Game” “Squid Game,” the most successful non-English language series in Netflix history, continued in 2023 but in a different format—a reality series. A second season of “Squid Game: The Challenge” is in the works, but what about the original?
In June 2022, Netflix officially ordered a continuation of the dark series success created, written, and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk (52). Filming for the second season began in the summer of 2023 and is expected to last ten months. An official release date for Season 2 is yet to be announced, but it could be towards the end of 2024.
Returning from Season 1 are lead actor Lee Jung-Jae (51), Emmy winner for “Best Actor in a Drama Series,” Wi Ha-joon (32), Lee Byung-hun (53), and Gong Yoo (44). The plot of the new episodes is currently not confirmed.
“The Boys” The eagerly anticipated fourth season of “The Boys” wrapped up filming in April 2023 and will definitely be released on Prime Video sometime in 2024. The streaming service, however, has not provided a specific start date yet. News on this front is expected shortly.
The star-studded cast of the superhero satire expands further for the fourth season. For instance, Jeffrey Dean Morgan (57), known from “The Walking Dead,” joins the cast in an undisclosed role, as revealed in the teaser trailer. Rosemarie DeWitt (52), known for numerous indie film productions, also joins the cast, portraying the mother of the main character, Hughie.
In the upcoming episodes, villainous congresswoman Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit, 31) is on the verge of becoming the Vice President of the United States, while Homelander (Antony Starr, 48) solidifies his power within and outside the Vought corporation. Boys leader Billy Butcher (Karl Urban, 51) has only a few months left to live, and his team desperately searches for ways to save the world from the murderous “Supes.”
