'Wu Assassins' Season 2 renewal and release datel: "It's very difficult"

In August, Netflix quietly debuted the new series Wu Assassins, a martial arts fantasy set in the underbelly of San Francisco’s Chinatown. While Netflix subscribers are still discovering the show amidst everything else the streaming giant has to offer, anyone who’s already binged all ten episodes of Wu Assassins is likely desperate for knows about a Season 2 release date.

Unfortunately for fans, there is no information regarding Netflix’s renewal of Wu Assassins for another season. However, two of the show’s stars, Lewis Tan and Li Jun Li, spoke to Inverse what they think could be in store for Season 2.

Warning! Minor spoilers for Wu Assassins ahead.

In Wu Assassins, San Francisco chef Kai (Iko Uwais) inherits a mystical power from elemental warrior monks. When a Chinese Triad seeks Kai’s power to amass influence in the criminal underworld, Kai must team up with his best friends and an uncover cop to stop them.

Also read: Wu Assassins Star on Racist Reviews: It’s “So Much More” Than Marital Arts

Tan, who plays Kai’s best and a car thief named Lu Xin, says the first season was all about introducing the new world of Wu Assassins. This, he says, frees up Season 2 to feature more action and plot than exposition.

“It took awhile to break that ground, but once we break it I feel the show really gets up and running,” Tan tells Inverse. “We have the backstory set in stone. We don’t have to go there again. We can really run wild with the action, we don’t need to sell the backstory as hard as we did in the [first] series.”

Lu Jin Li, who plays “Jenny,” says she expects her character to leave behind her family’s restaurant — a burden her character didn’t ask for, Li explains — and finally pursue her personal ambition of entering politics.

“I don’t think I’m spoiling this because it is spoken about in the last episode,” she says. “I think Jenny gets into politics. We don’t know much about where it can go, but I do know Jenny might go into politics.”

But that’s only if Wu Assassins gets Season 2. While the show has a lot going for it — blistering action, relevant social commentary, and representation for an audience hungry for it — it is also a new story that isn’t based on any existing franchises. “It’s very difficult to create original action fantasy without an IP or a comic book,” says Tan. “Studios are looking for that now. We’re trying to create something new. Yes we’re inspired by The Last Airbender, there’s elements that pay homage to Star Wars, but we’re trying to create something new.”

Beyond bankrolling the production and offering a spot on its platform, Netflix hasn’t done much to promote Wu Assassins. There’s been no marketing campaign to speak of, and the studio’s PR even rebuffed outlets (Inverse included) looking to run early coverage of the show and its cast.

"We’re trying to create something new.” — Lewis Tan

In an attempt to fill that vacuum, the cast of Wu Assassins have taken it upon themselves to get that renewal. If you haven’t seen it on social media, the stars of the series have spent the last week sharing glimpses of the show behind the scenes. From Lewis Tan exposing Iko Uwais’ goofy dancing to pre-vis fight choreography not meant for public viewing, the cast is using social media for its own grassroots campaign to get Wu Assassins on people’s radars.

Says Li, “We are all rooting for Season 2.”

On October 16, a little over a month after its first season premiere, Netflix’s Twitter account for customer service responded to a fan hoping for more information on future seasons of Wu Assassins.

“Still no info at this time on if/when there will be a season 2 of Wu Assassins,” the account said. The account then plugged a link for Netlifx’s social media “to keep an eye out for new content announcements!”

Wu Assassins is streaming now on Netflix.