Netflix drops first looks for highly-anticipated second seasons of Wednesday and Squid Game

Netflix has unleashed an exciting teaser and trailer for two of its most popular series, Squid Game and Wednesday, preparing fans for thrilling new seasons ahead.

Both shows took the world by storm, setting records and generating buzz across the globe, and now their return promises to be even bigger and more intense.

Squid Game 2: Darker, deadlier, and more desperate

The teaser for Squid Game’s second season, released as the grand finale of Netflix’s annual Geeked Week, picks up right where the first season left off. Fans of the global hit will remember the intense conclusion, as Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) abandoned his plans to flee to the US and began a bold pursuit with a newfound sense of purpose.

The teaser shows Gi-hun back in his infamous 456 uniform, standing amidst a new group of contestants, competing for yet another massive cash prize. A glimpse into the upcoming deadly games hints at the escalating stakes and more brutal challenges.

The cast will see familiar faces return, including Lee Byung-hun, Wi Ha-jun, and Gong Yoo, while new players like Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, and Park Gyu-young join the fold. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk is back to helm the show as its writer, director, and producer, ensuring that the upcoming season stays true to the chilling and thought-provoking formula that made the first such a resounding success.

Debuting in 2021, Squid Game shattered records, becoming Netflix’s most-watched non-English series, with over two billion hours viewed. It also made history at the Emmys, winning six awards and earning 14 nominations, the first for a foreign-language production in the Best Drama category.

The new season is set to premiere on December 26.

Wednesday season 2: More twisted and whimsical horror

The teaser for Wednesday hints at a “bigger and more twisted” second season, though a firm release date hasn’t been announced due to delays caused by the Hollywood writers’ strikes. Fans can expect its earliest arrival in 2025, but filming is set to begin in Ireland this month, marking a departure from the original filming location in Romania.

The show, directed by Tim Burton and created by Smallville’s Al Gough and Miles Millar, follows the deadpan, psychic teenager Wednesday Addams, played by Jenna Ortega.

After smashing records with its debut in November 2022 and becoming one of Netflix’s biggest hits, the show promises to delve even deeper into the whimsical horror that captured audiences in season 1. Ortega’s behind-the-scenes teaser for the new season claimed, “If we showed you any more, your eyes would bleed.”

The second season promises to move away from the romantic subplots of the first, focusing instead on themes of friendship, horror, and family dynamics. Ortega revealed that Wednesday will no longer have a love interest, allowing the character to embrace the darker, more eerie aspects of her story.

The relationship between Wednesday and her mother, Morticia Addams, is also set to be a key focus, further complicating their dynamic as they navigate Wednesday’s developing psychic powers.

Returning cast members include Emma Myers as Enid Sinclair, Wednesday’s cheerful best friend, and Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams. Notably, Percy Hynes White, who played Xavier Thorpe, Wednesday’s love interest, will not be returning amid allegations of misconduct, which he has denied.