Apple TV+ subscribers may be wondering what comes next for Bad Monkey and whether Season 2 could be on the cards.
Comedy legend Vince Vaughn came to Apple TV+ in 2024 with Bad Monkey, an adaptation of the Carl Hiaasen black comedy/crime drama book of the same name.
Bad Monkey Season 2 Hasn't Been Renewed Yet
At the time of writing on December 5, 2024, Bad Monkey has not yet been renewed or canceled for Season 2 at Apple TV+. However, as the debut season only concluded in October, the lack of updates shouldn't come as a surprise.
According to Flix Patrol, Bad Monkey was consistently the number one series in Apple TV+'s Top 10 during its release and shortly after it concluded.
Speaking in an interview with Paul McGuire Grimes, series star Vince Vaughn revealed there would "definitely be the possibility" of a Bad Monkey follow-up, but stressed how the first outing "really works as its own story:"
"Yeah, this really works as its own story and it's great So, there's always that possibility because there are some more books with it. But what I like about this is it's really just this moment for him in time, which is cool. But yes, I think there would definitely be the possibility of another situation potentially."
The ten-episode Bad Monkey adaptation was announced in August 2021, began production in February 2022, and didn't premiere until August 2024.
As such, fans should prepare to wait a while to see Vaughn back as Andrew Yancy, even if the Apple TV+ series does finally get renewed.
With the wait for a renewal still ongoing, production is unlikely to begin anytime before late 2025, which could leave it releasing as late as 2026.
Bad Monkey Season 2 Would Adapt Razor Girl
For those unfamiliar, Bad Monkey is based on a book of the same name by Bill Hiaasen, and while most of his novels are standalone, he wrote a sequel book starring the same protagonist, Andrew Yancy, called Razor Girl.
Razor Girl unites disgraced detective Andrew Yancy with the lovable con woman Merry Mansfield, who helps mobsters kidnap victims by rear-ending their cars. But after a job gone wrong, Merry accidentally kidnaps the wrong person, Lane Coolman, the manager of reality TV star Buck Nance.
The story takes Yancy on a quest to solve a high-profile crime, hoping cracking such a case would earn him his detective badge back once more.
During an interview with Variety, Vince Vaughn and Bill Lawrence were asked if they were open to adapting Razor Girl and telling more stories with Yancy.
Vaughn, who plays Yancy in the series, expressed an interest saying that it is "definitely stuff that [they've] talked about participating in:"
"It’s definitely stuff that we’ve talked about participating in. And what I liked is that 'Bad Monkey' works as a one-off but it could be fun to revisit the character and follow him on the next [Carl Hiaasen] book."
Lawrence explained that the existence of Razor Girl is part of why he chose to adapt Bad Monkey over Hiassen's other books as it is "one of the only books he wrote a sequel to" featuring some familiar faces:
"This is an Easter egg for you. People have asked me if I’m such a Carl Hiaasen fan, what made me pick 'Bad Monkey' over 'Skinny Dip' or 'Tourist Season' or 'Native Tongue' books? The reason I picked it is because it’s one of the only books he wrote a sequel to, 'Razor Girl.' And Rosa is in it and Yancy is in it and the characters that are still alive are in it."
He added how Hiaasen's novels make it tough to "let any streamer know that it's an ongoing series" as the finale resolves the mystery, so he made sure to "hint at the end" that there are more adventures to come:
"The trick for me is it’s very hard with a Carl Hiaasen novel to let any streamer know that it’s an ongoing series, because you want to end the mystery. But for me to go. 'Yeah, there’s another best-selling book with the same character in the same world — so I’ll just make sure I hint at the end that there’s another adventure to go through.'"
Bad Monkey Season 2 Will Probably Include an All-New Cast, Except for Two Characters
Bad Monkey is one of the only Carl Hiassen novels to receive a sequel in Razor Girl, but that doesn't mean fans should expect the whole cast back.
The Bad Monkey Season 1 cast was headed by Vince Vaughn, but included other stars such as Rob Delaney (Deadpool & Wolverine), John Ortiz (Fast & Furious), and many more.
Once again, the story centers around detective-turned-restaurant inspector Andrew Yancy, meaning Vaughn ought to reprise the leading role for Season 2.
Speaking with Deadline, Bill Lawrence was asked whether future seasons could go beyond the two existing books featuring Andrew Yancy.
He explained how a series such as The White Lotus serves as a "good template," as each season pivots to a "new group of characters, save for one:"
"I think that the best thing about the new kind of, I don’t want to say limited series model, but 'White Lotus' is a good template as a show that people expected to be one year. But by its very nature, even though it’s still called 'White Lotus,' it’s a new group of characters, save for one. If you look at 'Bad Monkey' and 'Razor Girl,' anybody that watched the last few episodes of 'Bad Monkey' knows it’s a bloodbath, and I can’t really do a second season with the same characters."
Lawrence added that while there is "no third book written" with Yancy, he would like to either push Carl Hiaasen to "write one" or pivot one of his other novels to place Vaughn's character in the driver's seat:
"But that’s what’s cool about Carl, each year is kind of a different paper issue mystery. There’s no third book written, but the joke for me is either pressuring Carl to write one or taking one of his old ones and making Yancy the lead."
While the finale closed most of the characters' storylines, the series creator was then asked if Natalie Martinez could return as the love interest Rosa.
In response, he explained that "one of the only characters" who return in Razor Girl is Rosa, so "whether she’s a regular or just in a bunch of episodes," fans should expect to see her back for Season 2:
"That’s why 'Razor Girl' is such a good Easter egg. In 'Razor Girl,' aside from some of the smaller parts of people who run restaurants and stuff like that, one of the only characters that’s still in it from the first year is Rosa. So if we’re lucky enough to get to do a second year of 'Bad Monkey,' whether she’s a regular or just in a bunch of episodes, she is in the book; she shows up in the middle and becomes a player."
During an interview with ScreenRant, Claspers actor Bon Clendenin offered a surprising update on his Bad Monkey future as he revealed Lawrence promised he will "find a way to get Claspers back" if Season 2 comes to pass:
"Bill's always been really nice to me. We did a screening party, and he said, 'I'll find a way to get Claspers back if they order a second season.'"
While Claspers doesn't appear in the Razor Girl novel, Clendenin pointed out Lawrence had a "fair amount of leeway" in adapting the first novel, so could shift things around to fit him into the second season:
"I don't think [Claspers] is in [Razor Girl] but Bill also had a fair amount of leeway with even that first book. Carl [Hiaasen] is a producer, so he worked with him. He didn't have to stick to it too religiously."
One actor "praying to the TV gods" for a Season 2 renewal is Captain Fitzpatrick actor Tom Nowicki. While, if the Razor Girl book is anything to go by, Fitzpatrick wouldn't, unfortunately, be back in any major way for Season 2, fans can read more about the actor here.
Bad Monkey is streaming now on Apple TV+.
