Netflix renews 'The Hunting Wives' for second season

Netflix has officially renewed The Hunting Wives for a second season, following the breakout success of the steamy thriller’s first season. Originally developed for Starz, the series was licensed by Netflix from Lionsgate and premiered globally on July 21. The second season will consist of eight episodes and will be released as a Netflix original in nearly every country where the service is available, the streamer announced.

Despite being initially available only in the U.S., The Hunting Wives performed strongly on Netflix, spending five consecutive weeks on the global English Top 10 TV list and racking up over 20 million views, according to Netflix.

Adapted from May Cobb’s 2021 novel and developed by Hightown creator Rebecca Cutter, the series centers on Texas socialite Margo (Malin Åkerman) and newcomer Sophie (Brittany Snow), whose toxic friendship and tangled secrets spiral into crime and betrayal. Season 1 ended on a dramatic cliffhanger involving a body being pushed off a cliff and an accidental phone call that could expose the crime.

Season 2 will explore the fallout, with a new logline teasing that Margo and Sophie are estranged but forced back together by “old secrets and new foes.” The series will continue to explore themes of power, deceit, and obsession, asking, “Are they the hunters or the hunted?”

Åkerman, Snow, Dermot Mulroney, Jaime Ray Newman, Evan Jonigkeit, and George Ferrier are confirmed to return. In a July interview with Variety, Åkerman hinted that Margo might attempt to reconcile with her politically ambitious husband, Jed, for the sake of status and survival.

Cutter returns as showrunner and executive producer alongside Cobb and Erwin Stoff for 3 Arts Entertainment. In a statement, Cutter promised fans another “sexy, twisted, batshit crazy ride through Maple Brook,” as she continues to expand her partnership with Netflix on other upcoming projects.