It's a Wednesday, indeed, but one marked by a monumental news event in the world of entertainment. Netflix has unveiled the highly anticipated first trailer (embedded below) for the second season of its gothic horror-comedy sensation, starring Jenna Ortega in the iconic role of the macabre-loving Wednesday Addams. Alongside the trailer, the streaming giant has also announced the premiere dates for the season, revealing a two-part release strategy: the first half dropping on August 6, followed by the second half on September 3.
In the trailer, Wednesday returns to Nevermore Academy, the exclusive school for misfits, for her sophomore year. Her mother, Morticia Addams (Catherine Zeta-Jones), remarks on her daughter's unprecedented eagerness to return, prompting Wednesday to reply with her signature dry wit, "It's like returning to the scene of a crime — I already know where the bodies are buried." Later, she adds, "I thrive in the shadows," hinting at her penchant for uncovering mysteries.
The trailer further showcases Wednesday's reunion with her lively roommate Enid (Emma Myers) and fleeting glimpses of the enigmatic Addams family, including Luis Guzmán as Gomez Addams, Isaac Ordonez as Pugsley Addams, and Fred Armisen as Uncle Fester. It also introduces Steve Buscemi in a new role as the school's principal, Barry Dort, accompanied by an array of eerie dolls that add to the eerie ambiance.
The production has welcomed new series regulars Billie Piper (Scoop), Evie Templeton (Return to Silent Hill), Owen Painter (Tiny Beautiful Things), and Noah Taylor (Law & Order: Organized Crime) to its ensemble. Moreover, a star-studded list of guest stars has been signed on, including Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future), Joanna Lumley (Fool Me Once), Thandiwe Newton (Westworld), Frances O'Connor (The Missing), Haley Joel Osment (The Kominsky Method), Heather Matarazzo (The Princess Diaries), and Joonas Suotamo. Notably, Lloyd previously portrayed Uncle Fester in the 1991 Addams Family film.
The second season's filming took place in Ireland, a shift from the first season, which was primarily shot in Romania.
The inaugural season of Wednesday, created and showrun by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, with executive producer and director Tim Burton at the helm, was a resounding success for Netflix in 2022. It became the most-watched English-language series in the streamer's history, racking up 252 million views and spending 20 weeks in the global Top 10 (with Squid Game still reigning as Netflix's biggest international hit). The series propelled Ortega to new heights of fame, further elevated by her role in Burton's Beetlejuice Beetlejuice last fall.
