In February 2022, audiences discovered the mysterious world at Lumon Industries with the premiere of the Apple TV+ sci-fi drama Severance. At Lumon, several employees undergo “severance,” a medical procedure that separates your work memories from your life on the outside (“outies”). Severed employees (“innies”) cannot remember anything about themselves once they enter work. The severed employees essentially live two different lives.
Season 1 follows Mark Scout (Adam Scott) and his co-workers, who all underwent severance. When a new employee named Helly (Britt Lower) joins the company, Mark begins to question Lumon’s motives, which may or may not be sinister. Severance season 1 premiered to universal acclaim from critics, resulting in 14 Emmy nominations. Season 2 is on the way. Here’s everything we know so far.
Is there a release date for Severance season 2?
Severance season 2 on Apple TV+ does not have a release date. Season 2 began filming in October 2022, but was shut down in May 2023 because of the writer’s strike. Then the actors’ strike that summer suspended production indefinitely. Filming restarted in January 2024. In April 2024, costume designer Carol Deelay posted a picture of a clapper board for Severance season 2 with the caption, “It’s a wrap on season 2.”
With filming complete, Severance now heads into postproduction, which could take months. The expected premiere date is some time in 2025. However, star Adam Scott hinted in a May 2024 interview with The Hollywood Reporter that the show could arrive soon.
“I wish I could tell you and everybody about what’s coming up because it’s going to be so much fun,” Scott said about season 2. “I can’t wait for people to see it, but I can’t say a word. But it’ll finally be coming out in the somewhat near future, and I can’t wait for everyone to see it. That’s basically it. It was so much fun to make.”
When the reporter mentioned that patient fans are waiting for season 2, Scott said, ” Your patience doesn’t have to hold on too much longer.”
Severance season 2 reportedly had a tumultuous production
No one’s going to the break room. We’re on the same really slow schedule we’ve always been on. Same target air date we’ve always had. Love our fans and each other and we all are just working to make the show as good as possible. 💙
— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) April 28, 2023
In April 2023, Puck’s Matthew Belloni reported that Severance season 2 was “plagued for months by pricey problems, including scrapped scripts and the dreaded showrunners who don’t speak to each other.” Belloni wrote that Severance creator Dan Erickson and his co-showrunner, Mark Friedman, did not work well together. Friedman was planning to leave the show after season 1, but Ben Stiller, an executive producer and director on Severance, convinced him to stay.
“That didn’t work, scripts were a problem, and Apple — disappointed and embarrassed that they’d gone down the wrong road , but looking at Severance as a hit and an awards magnet — started talking about seasons 3 and 4,” Belloni wrote. Stiller hired House of Cards creator Beau Willimon to work on season 2. Willimon reportedly ended up working on the “back half of season 2.”
Stiller pushed back at the report when he replied to a tweet about season 2’s production problems and delays, saying Severance is on the “same really slow schedule” and “same target air date.”
Who is in the cast of Severance season 2?
Season 1 cast members returning for season 2 include Adam Scott as Mark Scout, Zach Cherry as Dylan George, Britt Lower as Helly Riggs, John Turturro as Irving Bailiff, Dichen Lachman as Ms. Casey, Tramell Tillman as Seth Milchick, Jen Tullock as Devon Scout-Hale, Michael Chernus as Ricken Hale, Patricia Arquette as Harmony Cobel, and Christopher Walken as Burt Goodman.
New cast members joining season 2 include Gwendoline Christie, Alia Shawkat, Merritt Wever, Bob Balaban, Robby Benson, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, and John Noble.
What happened at the end of Severance season 1?
In the riveting Severance season 1 finale, Mark, Helly, Dylan, and Irving initiate Lumon’s “overtime contingency,” allowing “innies” to be woken up in the outside world. Dylan sneaks into the security office and activates the overtime contingency for Mark, Helly, and Irving in the outside world.
At his sister’s house, Mark sees Harmony Cobel, and accidentally tips her off that overtime contingency has been activated. Harmony leaves the house and races to the Lumon Gala to stop Helly from speaking about the dangers of severance. Mark then learns about the death of his wife, Gemma. However, Mark finds a photo of Gemma, who is revealed to be Ms. Casey. Mark screams that Gemma is alive before he returns to his severed state.
Meanwhile, Helly learns she is Helena Eagan, the daughter of Lumon CEO James Eagan. Helly goes onstage at the Lumon Gala and reveals the hazards of severance before she’s tackled at the podium. Irving heads to Burt’s house and learns that Burt’s outie is in a relationship with another man. The episode’s closing moments see Milchick tackling Dylan, which turns off the overtime contingency.
What is the plot of Severance season 2?
Much of the plot details surrounding Severance season 2 are under wraps. However, Stiller told Variety that fans can expect season 2 to explore the budding relationship between Mark and Helly.
“There is this growing connection between Mark and Helly happening during the season, and then on the outside, Mark is trying to get over his wife’s death — and then we’re going to find out that his wife is still alive,” Stiller said. “To put him in this position where the Innie Mark, we’re starting to root for him and Helly, but now we also want to root for Outie Mark to find his wife. That’s an interesting juxtaposition and conflict we’ll explore in the second season.
In that same Variety piece, Erickson teased that season 2 will reveal why Lumon targeted Mark for severance.
“There’s a question of sort of who was targeted first: Was Mark targeted because of his relationship to Gemma, or was it the other way around,” Erickson said. “And that’s something that we don’t see this season, but we will see in subsequent seasons. That’s the big question, what is special about Mark? And is it actually that there’s something special about him, or is it more about Gemma, and he was sort of pulled in? Those are all left unanswered this season, but we will get into it.”
Is there a trailer for Severance season 2?
There is no trailer for Severance season 2 at this time.
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