Will there be a season 2 of The Peripheral?

Is The Peripheral returning for a second season on Amazon?

Chloë Grace Moretz as Flynne Fisher in The Peripheral

UPDATE (August 2023): The Peripheral has been canceled by Amazon Prime Video despite the show’s previously announced season 2 renewal.

ORIGINAL STORY: The fate of the sci-fi drama The Peripheral has finally been revealed.

Over two months after the series wrapped up its eight-episode season 1 on Amazon Prime Video, the streaming platform announced earlier this month that the show is coming back for season 2.

Loosely based on the 2014 book of the same name by William Gibson, The Peripheral was developed Scott B. Smith, who also serves as showrunner and executive producer. The series is also exec produced by Westworld creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy via Kilter Films, along with Athena Wickham, Steven Hoban, and Vincenzo Natali, who has already directed four episodes of the show.

“William’s mind-bending story in partnership with the brilliant minds of Scott and Jonathan and Lisa, produced an unforgettable journey for our global audience and we are thrilled with how they embraced the series,” said Vernon Sanders, head of global television at Amazon Studios, in a statement, announcing the show’s season 2 renewal. “We look forward to extending our partnership with Warner Bros. and Kilter Films as this uniquely ambitious series continues to unfold.”

Commenting on the recently confirmed The Peripheral season 2, Nolan and Joy said: “We are thrilled to continue the journey into Season Two and delve deeper into the incredible world that Gibson created. On behalf of Scott Smith, Vincenzo Natali, and the entire team, we’re grateful to our partners at Amazon and, most of all, to the fans.”

What is The Peripheral about?

Chloë Grace Moretz as Flynne Fisher in The Peripheral
Chloë Grace Moretz as Flynne Fisher in The Peripheral

Set roughly a decade in the future, with new technology that has changed society in subtle ways, The Peripheral centers on Flynne Fisher (Chloë Grace Moretz), a VR gamer who discovers a secret connection to an alternate reality as well as a dark future of her own. Trying to hold together the pieces of her broken family in a forgotten corner of tomorrow’s America, the smart yet doomed Flynne has no future; until the future comes calling for her.

Who will return for The Peripheral season 2?

It’s currently not clear who among the members of the cast will come back for season 2, but it’s safe to assume that most of the show’s main cast will return for the show’s sophomore run.

In addition to Moretz, The Peripheral’s season 1 regulars included Gary Carr as Wilf Netherton, Jack Reynor as Burton Fisher, 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, Charlotte Riley as Aelita West, and Alexandra Billings as Inspector Ainsley Lowbeer.

Nolan and Joy are also expected to become more hands-on on season 2 of The Peripheral, as their other show, Westworld, had already been canceled by HBO after four seasons.

The Peripheral season 2 release date

The Peripheral season 2 doesn’t have a release date yet. Though filming for the new season hasn’t started yet, ComicBook.com reported that principal photography on the show’s sophomore run could begin later this year.

Is The Peripheral worth watching?

If you love hard sci-fi, then you would likely enjoy The Peripheral. Casual fans of the genre would probably find it a lot to take in, as nearly every nugget of information is important. But that’s the beauty of it – its detailed and impressive world-building, paired with its stunning visuals and impressive performance of the cast, makes it an entertaining sci-fi series. Sometimes, however, the show’s focus on its lofty ideas comes at the expense of the narrative’s coherence. Season 1 of The Peripheral is currently “certified fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes.

Where to watch The Peripheral

The complete eight-episode season 1 of The Peripheral is exclusively streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

The Peripheral Season 1 - Official Trailer | Prime Video
Sources: Variety, ComicBook.com