Will there be a season 2 of HBO’s ‘The Idol?’

The Idol, HBO’s most contentious production of late, was initially approved for a six-episode season in 2021. However, the season has been cut short, and aired its fifth episode as the season finale on Sunday, July 2. The musical drama led by The Weeknd and Lily Rose-Depp has been making headlines since it first screened at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on May 22. The show has since been a subject of criticism for its heavy sexual themes and insensitive handling of the subject matter by viewers and critics alike.

But despite the hostile critical reception, the show’s fans and one of The Idol actors have expressed optimism for season 2. On June 15, HBO also denied any final decisions regarding the renewal status of the show and shut down rumors about the show getting canceled:

Following this, The Idol finale, titled “Jocelyn Forever,” aired on Sunday night. But in the wake of the first season officially wrapping up, speculation and confusion around the future of the show continues to grow. Amidst this, actress Da’Vine Joy Randolph, who plays Jocelyn’s manager Destiny in the series, sat down for an interview with Variety and shared that she feels confident about a second season of The Idol:

“I think that everyone intends to have a second season. This was never intended to be a limited series. HBO has been very happy with it… Nothing is official, but HBO is quite happy.”

Explaining her optimism, the actress asserted:

“A lot of subtleties have been put into place that if people go back once it ends and rewatch it, there have been many Easter eggs and some stuff put in there that sets things up for Season 2.”

Will The Idol get a second season?

While Sam Levinson or any of HBO’s executives have not yet come forward to confirm or deny a second season, the show’s ending does leave space for the story to continue. And one thing is for certain, the show’s negative critical reviews, controversies, and backlash won’t stop the second season from happening. The last deciding factor for HBO to either renew or put an end to The Idol will probably be the viewership statistics.

Even if The Idol season 2 is greenlit, the earliest it could hit the screens would be in late 2024. All episodes of the first season are currently available to stream on HBO.