Although no official word has been given from Netflix, at least one of the show's executives hopes American Primeval will be given the green light for Season 2.
American Primeval is a new Netflix series that explores the western expansion of America. Specifically, the show features a violent outlook on the fight to gain control of the West, specifically when it comes to religion and culture.
The series stars Taylor Kitsch, Betty Gilpin, and several other major actors and premiered on Netflix on January 9.
American Primeval's Future Teased By Executive Producer
In a recent interview with Decider, American Primeval director and executive producer Peter Berg talked about where the show stands in terms of being renewed for a second season.
Berg mentioned that he took a step back "after [they] wrapped" Season 1 and "felt such affection for them." He also added that he "[thinks] there are many ways that [they] could go" with a second season:
"You know, after we wrapped and I looked at all the actors — the ones that were still alive — I felt such affection for them. And I do think there are many ways that we could go."
The director also mentioned that the cold was brutal for them during shooting, and if they could "[get] to lower ground that wasn't quite as cold," he would be up for going back and shooting Season 2:
"I've still got to thaw out from my time spent up on those mountains in the winter, but maybe if they got to lower ground, that wasn’t quite as cold, we could. We could go back."
However, Berg did point out that one specific person would have to come back, and if they did, "[he'd] be up for discussing" Season 2:
"If [Indigenous Consultant] Julie [O’Keefe] will come back, I’d be up for discussing it."
Indigenous Consultant Julie O'Keefe, who likely worked directly alongside Native American actors such as Shawnee Pourier (learn a few interesting facts about Pourier here) already commented on whether she would return, saying that she would "definitely come back" if she "[doesn't] have to have ice cleats again:"
"As long as I don’t have to have ice cleats again, I definitely will come back."
How Can American Primeval Season 2 Be Guaranteed?
As of writing, Netflix has not renewed American Primeval for Season 2, but fans should not panic. The show was only released on January 9, so the streamer is likely taking some time to evaluate its performance before making a decision.
So, what do streaming services like Netflix look at when trying to decide whether a show will be renewed or not?
Overall viewership is one of the biggest statistics. Every time someone hits play on a show, it gets added to a pool that makes up "households," so if someone were to see that a certain number of households viewed a show, that is the same thing as the show's overall viewership.
Another big statistic companies like Netflix value is how many new subscribers a show brings in. For example, some of American Primeval's viewers may have signed up for the service just to watch the show, and services take a careful look at that.
If Season 1 had successful numbers in that category, Netflix would be much more likely to renew the series because it would think Season 2 could also bring in more new subscribers.
Something else taken into account is social media engagement and search trends. If a lot of people are talking about a project on social media or looking it up, that makes streamers think it could lead to more subscribers and more viewers.
Of course, another major number looked at is how expensive a show is. As of writing, American Primeval Season 1's budget is unknown, but if it had a relatively modest budget and still gets good viewership, Netflix will be more inclined to give it another season.
American Primeval is streaming on Netflix.
