Avenue 5 Season 2: Everything we know about HBO's sci-fi satire
Things can only get worse for the passengers on this space-cruise — and we can hardly wait.
The first season of HBO's sci-fi comedy Avenue 5 ended in March 2020. But there are more stories to tell on this space-cruise hurtling through the galaxy in the not-so-distant future. From Veep creator Armando Iannucci, the new series uses this far-out setting to weave a hilarious satire of social media, misinformation, and ill-equipped leaders from our own timeline. So when will Avenue 5 Season 2 air on HBO? Is it already renewed? Who will return to the cast, and who might join the show for a second season?
Here's everything you need to know about Avenue 5 Season 2 on HBO.
Is Avenue 5 renewed for Season 2?
Yes! Back in February, just after the Season 1 premiere, HBO officially renewed Avenue 5 for Season 2.
“We’ve loved every minute of Avenue 5’s inaugural voyage,” HBO exec Amy Gravitt said in a statement. “Armando Iannucci and his team are masters of smart and incisive comedy, and the ensemble cast, brilliantly captained by Hugh Laurie, is second to none. We can’t wait to see what’s in store for our hapless heroes in season two.”
Hugh Laurie (center) stars in 'Avenue 5'
When will Avenue 5 Season 2 air on HBO?
There are some rumors that Avenue 5 Season 2 could arrive at some point in 2021. For what it’s worth, Armando Ianucci is waiting until the mood is right to premiere the season due to some of its themes. He told The Hollywood Reporter, “So, we're just waiting to see what the mood might be as to how we pitch. Is it going to be bleak despair, or is it going to be very, very silly? Or maybe silly despair? I don't know. We tried to make season one as silly as possible, but it seems to have strangely become a kind of documentary about present-day conditions.”
Is there an Avenue 5 Season 2 trailer?
Not yet. The first teaser for Season 1 arrived in November, followed by a full-length trailer in December. Expect a similar rollout, though we could get an early sneak peek as soon as filming begins on Avenue 5 Season 2.
Armando Iannucci (right) with the cast of 'Avenue 5'
Will Armando Iannucci return for Avenue 5 Season 2?
Yes! In that same renewal announcement, Iannucci confirmed that he's involved, at least for Season 2:
“It was so great to be back again with HBO for the first season of Avenue 5, so I’m doubly thrilled that HBO have now seen fit to put Captain Ryan Clark and his passengers and crew through even more physical and emotional hell next year too."
We only ask because Iannucci famously left Veep halfway through its run, so it's possible something similar could happen with Avenue 5.
Who's in the cast of Avenue 5 Season 2
Everyone will presumably return, except for one minor character (the fake crew member Sarah, part of a group that rushed through the airlock and died, convinced they were on a reality show). Himesh Patel, who played a comedian stuck on the ship, is presumably also gone after managing to score the one seat on a rescue vessel sent to ferry the ship's owner Herman Judd (Josh Gad) back to earth.
Beyond that, you can expect Hugh Laurie, Josh Gad, Zach Woods, Rebecca Front, Suzy Nakamura, Lenora Crichlow, Andy Buckley, Jessica St. Clair, Kyle Bornheimer, Ethan Phillips, and more to all return. It's a big cast, and no one is going anywhere (unless they decide to quit and have to be written out of Season 2).
Beyond that, considering that the setting of Avenue 5 is a ship with thousands of passengers, Season 2 could easily introduce new characters that have been onboard all along. So don't be surprised if some new talent joins the cast when HBO's series returns.
Zach Woods will likely return in 'Avenue 5' Season 2
What's the plot of Avenue 5 Season 2
Literally, anything could happen. As of the Season 1 finale, the ship's voyage has now been extended to an ungodly eight years (up from just a couple of months before things went sideways). Then again, for all we know, that trajectory could change again for better or worse.
Avenue 5 Season 2 could also leap forward in time. I like the idea of seeing how society onboard the ship has deteriorated after a year (or four), but that's just me speculating — unless Iannucci is reading this, in which case: Please jump forward a couple of years so that Hugh Laurie is even balder in Season 2. 🙏
Avenue 5 Season 1 is streaming now on HBO.
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