Netflix has announced that Wednesday has been renewed for a second season, but lead star Jenna Ortega wants a darker tone for the next installment.
Wednesday has been renewed for a season 2 at Netflix, but lead star Jenna Ortega thinks the next installment should dive deeper into the horror elements and be darker than season 1. Providing a new perspective on the well-known Addams Family story, Wednesday followed Wednesday Addams (Ortega) being enrolled at her parents’ alma mater, Nevermore Academy, a school for outcasts and monstrous misfits. Three weeks after its release, Wednesday became the second-most watched English-language series in Netflix’s history, totaling over a billion hours, making the prospect of a season 2 practically inevitable. It was officially announced in January 2023.
Wednesday season 1 captivated audiences with Wednesday’s investigation into a mysterious monster terrorizing the students of Nevermore and the residents of the neighboring town, Jericho. The epic cliffhanger ending created the perfect opportunity for a season 2. Most of the cast will likely return, including the other members of Wednesday’s Addams family, portrayed by Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzmán, Isaac Ordonez, and Fred Armisen, as well as the students of Nevermore, particularly Wednesday’s dorm-mate Enid (Emma Myers) and Tyler Galpin, a.k.a. the Hyde (Hunter Doohan). Wednesday season 2 could be setting itself up to be a much darker ride.
Wednesday Season 2 Would Benefit From Being Darker
Speaking to E! News at the 2023 Golden Globe Awards, Jenna Ortega revealed she wants the series to get “a little bit darker and embrace the horror aspect a little bit more.” Despite following the decades-old story of the Addams family, Wednesday departed from the traditional darkness of previous Addams adventures, taking on more of a young adult, coming-of-age story with dark comedy. Now that the core group of characters has been introduced, Wednesday season 2 can benefit from leaning further into the horror of the story.
Wednesday season 1 featured some dark aspects, particularly in scenes featuring the monstrous Hyde and the return of outcast-hunter Joseph Crackstone in the season finale, “A Murder of Woes.” Even so, season 2 can develop the horror much further, particularly after Enid’s transformation into her wolf form and the Hyde’s escape at the end of the finale. A darker second season would feel more like the original Addams family stories while preserving the comedy that made Wednesday season 1 entertaining.
Jenna Ortega Has Already Proven She Can Handle Horror
Some might question whether Wednesday can shift into darker tones in its season 2 while still hanging on to its brilliant comedy. However, Jenna Ortega’s filmography proves this can be possible. Ortega previously appeared in horror comedy films such as The Babysitter: Killer Queen and Studio 666 and starred in 2022’s Scream sequel as Tara Carpenter. Ortega stated in an interview with Rotten Tomatoes in 2022 that she was “pretty comfortable with all the horror stuff” and was even crowned a scream queen by horror fans.
Ortega’s history in horror films means Wednesday becoming darker in season 2 would work perfectly and help keep the series fresh and exciting after the successful season 1. Even so, there are no announcements yet about which direction Wednesday season 2 will take. Given the massive success of season 1, it’s likely that it won’t be too long until Ortega is thrilling audiences as Wednesday Addams once again.
