As Netflix preps for the release of Wednesday Season 2, the streamer expects to see fans "flooding" social media with positive reactions.
While marketing finally kicked off for the second season of Netflix's Wednesday, the wait for new episodes has been extensive. Season 1 premiered on Netflix in November 2022, leaving fans anxious to see where the Addams Family spin-off will go after over two years of a break.
Reports indicated most of the Wednesday cast will be back in action as the titular spooky heroine continues her studies and adventures at Nevermore Academy. Now, even though the wait for the show's return has been long, the streamer behind it is letting viewers know it will be worth the wait.
Netflix Promises Epic Reaction to Wednesday Season 2
During Netflix's Fourth Quarter 2024 Earnings Interview, VP of Finance, IR, and Corporate Development Spencer Wang and CEO Theodore A. Sarandos commented on how Wednesday Season 2's release will drive massive social engagement among fans.
Wang asked a question from KeyBanc's Justin Patterson, who wondered what the key steps were to competing with short-form video platforms for engagement.
Sarandos explained that the goal is to "entertain all audiences, including younger audiences" who watch more short-form content.
Discussing that new strategy led to Sarandos stating that Wednesday Season 2's release is anticipated to result in "all the social media platforms getting flooded with tributes" to the series' second batch of episodes by fans and audiences:
"Our goal here is to entertain all audiences, including younger audiences who may be watching disproportionately more short-form content. Now the beauty is that those folks all love film and TV shows as well. So we're constantly entertaining them with projects that get them so excited that they push play, they stick around. They go into social media accounts and talk about the shows. They do tributes to the shows. You see how many -- when you see the new season when 'Wednesday' comes out, you're going to see all the social media platforms get flooded with tributes to this work."
While Netflix's core is in "professional longer-form storytelling," the company is also focusing on short-form storytelling as a "great breeding ground for new storytellers:"
"Our core is in kind of professional longer-form storytelling, and that's a very big and enduring business. But again, as things get pulled -- as eyeballs get pulled into other places, we definitely want to be there for them as well. I do find that the short-form services also are a great breeding ground for new storytellers"
Before this quote, Netflix was expected to hit big with Wednesday Season 2 (see more on Wednesday Season 2 viewership predictions here).
Will Wednesday Season 2 Be a Hit?
While questions are still being asked about when Wednesday Season 2 could debut, all signs point to it being one of Netflix's most successful drops of the year.
Only two shows in Netflix history (Squid Game Season 1 and Stranger Things Season 4) had more viewers in their first four weeks than Wednesday Season 1. Combine that with the extensive wait for Season 2, and it's no surprise that these new episodes are expected to draw in huge numbers.
Also important to remember are the stories centered on major drama behind the scenes of this hit show.
Star Jenna Ortega is rumored not to want to continue with the series after Season 2, leaving many to believe it will end after Season 2. That will surely have many tuning in to see how the story potentially ends.
Additionally, former star Percy Hynes White was fired from the show after being accused of sexual assault (although he was seen briefly in a recent Netflix trailer). The heightened sensitivity around that news makes viewers curious to find out how his absence will also be handled.
The stage is set for Wednesday to remain one of Netflix's biggest successes when it finally begins streaming. The mystery now is when viewers will get more concrete answers on the Season 2 release date.
Wednesday Season 2 is set to debut on Netflix sometime in 2025.
