Having been absent from our screens for well over two years, fan favorite comic book adaptation Warrior Nun returned with a vengeance last week to instantly become one of Netflix’s most-watched shows in no less than 70 countries around the world.
There’s even a definite possibility the action-packed series will experience an uptick in popularity now that star Alba Baptista has been confirmed to be dating Sexiest Man Alive Chris Evans after much speculation, because as the old saying goes; there’s no such thing as bad publicity. Well, there definitely is, but not in this instance.
The majority of the principal cast returned to reprise their roles as the religious conflict escalated to new, even more dangerous, and exceedingly fantastical heights, but one favorite not returning to the fray has been noticed. In an interview with ScreenRant, showrunner Simon Barry opened up on the reasons behind Toya Turner’s Shotgun Mary not being involved second time around.
“Well, the plan was to have Mary in season 2. And unfortunately, at the beginning of season 2’s filming, Toya had to leave the show for personal reasons. We had to very quickly retool the show to accommodate that. And we didn’t want to recast her because I think it’s too iconic a character, so what we had to do is figure out a way to tie in what had happened at the end of season 1 that didn’t feel too clunky and didn’t feel too slapped on.
And at the same time, we had to deal with the reality that Toya was just not available for filming. So, it was a very challenging puzzle. But we figured it out in a way that I think honors Shotgun Mary’s character and also sets up the new characters that emerge in season 2. I’m hoping it plays out well. It’s always awkward when it’s not the plan, right? We did not plan this, but we had to sort of adjust on the fly.”
As much as it stung the fandom not to see the ass-kicking member of the convent return to dispense more justice, it hasn’t exactly dampened the enthusiasm for season 2 of Warrior Nun as a whole. Given Netflix’s penchant for canceling effects-heavy episodic efforts that boast vociferous online support, though, there’s still a worry that another renewal is far from a guarantee.