The Old Man is set to return in the not-too-distant future for Season 2, and here's everything we know so far about the release, cast, and plot.
Last year, FX debuted the seven-episode The Old Man as a new thriller starring Jeff Bridges as a former CIA operative and Vietnam veteran who was forced into hiding after killing an intruder who broke into his home.
When Will The Old Man Season 2 Release?
Prior to the start of the writers' strike, The Old Man had already completed filming on the first four episodes of Season 2, with production forced to halt - via Deadline - as the fifth episode's script required some adjustments.
Now that the writers' strike has concluded, the team can make those adjustments to Episode 5 and finish up the scripts for Season 2's final episodes.
It's unclear exactly how many episodes are planned for Season 2, but the first season ran for seven episodes after being forced to shorten the original 10-episode plan due to Jeff Bridges' COVID-19 diagnosis amid his cancer treatment.
Regardless, The Old Man's writers will now have time to ensure the scripts are as ready as possible for when SAG-AFTRA can reach a deal to end the actors' strike, thus opening the door to resuming production.
Previously, Season 1 premiered in June 2022, and, depending on how long the actors' strike continues, another summer premiere in 2024 for Season 2 is certainly plausible. After all, much of the editing and post-production work was likely completed for the first four episodes during the strikes.
But if the worst comes to the worst, fans should still expect to see The Old Man Season 2 release before the end of 2024, likely in the latter half of the year.
Who Will Return in The Old Man Season 2?
Other than those characters who, unfortunately, met their demise in Season 1, most of the cast of The Old Man is expected to return for the sophomore season which will once again be headlined by Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow.
During an interview with Deadline, executive producer Dan Shotz confirmed the return of Amy Brenneman's Zoe McDonald despite her parting ways with Dan in the Season 1 finale, praising her as "a brilliant actress and partner in this."
Fans of Dan's rottweilers also needn't worry either as, in the same Deadline interview, Shotz teased their return saying, "I don’t know if The Old Man is a show without the dogs."
Par for any surprise dropouts or any major additions to the line-up, the expected main cast of The Old Man Season 2 can be seen below:
- Jeff Bridges - Dan Chase/Johnny Kohler
- John Lithgow - Harold Harper
- Alia Shawkat - Angela Adams/Emily Chase
- Amy Brenneman - Zoe McDonald
- Gbenga Akinnagbe - Julian Carson
What Will Happen in The Old Man Season 2?
With Jeff Bridges' Dan and John Lithgow's Harold now reunited following the Season 1 finale, they will likely be out to rescue Angela/Emily after she was kidnapped by Afghan warlord Faraz Hamzad, her real father.
Although she has still yet to discover the identity of her true father, that will likely be revealed to her early in Season 2 as co-creator Jonathan E. Steinberg explained to Deadline how they "never want a character to be too far behind the audience:"
"As a general rule, we never want a character to be too far behind the audience. So that's coming pretty quickly for her."
As Dan and Harold reunite, Steinberg also teased plans for flashbacks to revisit their time together in Afghanistan:
"The whole thing is a bit of a journey into Dan Chase’s head. Some of the season two plan is for these guys to go back to this place that they spent so much time in when they were younger, and to see the past through their present eyes."
The Old Man Season 2 has yet to confirm an official release date.
