The first season of The Peripheral has just wrapped on Prime Video, but executive producers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy are keen to make more of their sci-fi thriller.
The series follows pro gamer Flynne Fisher (Chloë Grace Moretz) as she is drawn into a world of espionage after playing what she believes to be a mere simulation – in actual fact, it’s a nightmarish glimpse at our very real future.
Despite being quite a slow burn and receiving a mixed response from critics, The Peripheral has amassed a dedicated cult fanbase who are demanding that it returns for season 2.
Nolan and Joy, who previously brought us HBO’s recently cancelled Westworld, are among those calling for more episodes, with the latter telling RadioTimes.com she wants “all the seasons” to explore William Gibson’s novel.
Here’s what we know so far about a possible The Peripheral season 2.
Will there be The Peripheral season 2?
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Prime Video is yet to announce whether The Peripheral will return for season 2, meaning the show’s future remains up in the air for now, but executive producer Lisa Joy has made no secret of her hope for more episodes.
“I would love to have season 2 and season 3 and all the seasons in the world to explore this amazing, amazing novel,” she told RadioTimes.com and other press.
“I know we’ve already started brainstorming about season two in the hopes that we get a season two, and the world only gets more vast and complicated.”
Joy added: “But the thing that really appeals to me about it is how much deeper we are able to dive into each of the characters’ lives, and personal lives and ambitions and motivations. To me, that is where it gets really exciting.”
Though it has acquired a cult fanbase, evidence suggests The Peripheral may not be the breakout hit that Prime Video would have wanted given the budget – pegged at $80 million by author William Gibson.
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The latest estimates from US-based ratings monitor Nielsen suggest a muted response from American audiences, with The Peripheral so far failing to crack the top ten original streaming shows.
However, it is worth noting that Nielsen ratings are approximately one month behind real-time, meaning we currently only have numbers up to the show’s second week of release (by which point, three episodes were available to stream).
Nevertheless, competing shows like Andor have been able to crack the top ten with just a couple of episodes under their belt, so it’s a slightly underwhelming result considering the show’s big-name star.
Prime Video’s internal ranking chart is showing more promise, with The Peripheral currently the platform’s most popular show in the UK, outpacing comedy-drama Mammals, The Handmaid’s Tale season 5 and true crime doc The Confession.
We’ll update this page as soon as Prime Video announces its verdict, which is likely to be in the coming weeks.
What could happen in a potential The Peripheral season 2?
For now, we can only speculate on what exactly would happen if The Peripheral gets renewed for season 2, but star Gary Carr has told fans to expect the unexpected.
“The thing about [executive producers] Jonah and Lisa is that they set things up, they take you on a journey for one season,” he began. “Then you come to the second season, and they just go completely left or somewhere else so far removed from what you had originally.
“That freaks some people out, some people don’t like that. But I actually love that when I watch a series, it feels like there’s no limits and there’s so many other worlds to explore. And it’s like you’re not bound to one story or one structure. You can let your imagination go.”
Charlotte Riley added: “They’re really ballsy with that. They’re really good at going, ‘you love all these characters? Great! Well, they don’t exist anymore. Here’s a whole new bunch of other characters’.
“I’m not saying that that’s what’s gonna happen, but I love that they just pull the rug on you. They’re not scared to kill their darlings in terms of what the audience wants.”
Who could star in a potential The Peripheral season 2?
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If The Peripheral were to return for season 2, it’s likely that star Chloë Grace Moretz would return to the lead role of Flynne Fisher, while much of the supporting cast would also remain the same.
Here’s The Peripheral cast list in full:
- Chloë Grace Moretz as Flynne Fisher
- Gary Carr as Wilf Netherton
- Jack Reynor as Burton Fisher
- Charlotte Riley as Aelita West
- JJ Feild as Lev Zubov
- T’Nia Miller as Cherise Nuland
- Louis Herthum as Corbell Pickett
- Katie Leung as Ash
- Melinda Page Hamilton as Ella Fisher
- Chris Coy as Jasper Baker
- Alex Hernandez as Tommy Constantine
- Julian Moore-Cook as Ossian
- Adelind Horan as Billy Ann Baker
- Austin Rising as Leon
- Eli Goree as Conner Penske
- Alexandra Billings as Inspector Ainsley Lowbeer
Is there a trailer for The Peripheral season 2?
We’re still trying to find out if the project is moving forward, so don’t expect any brand new footage just yet.
Read more: Chloë Grace Moretz on The Peripheral, Jack Reynor bond and TV vs film
The Peripheral is available to stream on Prime Video. Try Amazon Prime Video for free for 30 days. Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on.
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