Will There Be a ‘The Idol’ Season 2 on HBO? What We Know

HBO‘s The Idol came to a close last night, with Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) asserting her power over cult leader Tedros (Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye) in the most showy way possible. She kicks him out of her life only to welcome him back in as a full on subordinate. But is that the end of Jocelyn and Tedros’s story? Could there be a Season 2 of The Idol? Or is the music industry-set erotic thriller simply too dark, too controversial, too hated to go on?

The Idol was created by Euphoria showrunner Sam Levinson, pop icon The Weeknd, and nightclub owner Reza Fahim. The original version of the show was going to be a limited series directed by The Girlfriend Experience‘s Amy Seimetz. However Seimetz left the production in April 2022 and Levinson took over as showrunner and director. The Weeknd and Levinson then huddled in the pop star’s LA mansion, rewrote the series together and eventually shot the bulk of it in The Weeknd’s home. (Yes, Jocelyn’s palatial house actually belongs to The Weeknd.)

So does that mean that Sam Levinson and The Weeknd might want to continue the story with The Idol Season 2? How long would it take for a second season of The Idol to hit HBO and Max? And did HBO already cancel The Idol? Here’s everything we know so far about The Idol Season 2…

Is HBO Making The Idol Season 2?

We don’t know yet! A few weeks ago, Page Six reported that neither HBO nor The Weeknd were moving forward on a second season of The Idol. However HBO immediately rebutted this report, commenting on Twitter: “It is being misreported that a decision on a second season of The Idol has been determined. It has not, and we look forward to sharing the next episode with you Sunday night.”

While HBO’s response seems to suggest the network is keen on the series, ratings have been less than stellar. That, coupled with the critical backlash to the show might spell doom for future seasons.

However the real reason why we’re not necessarily holding our breath for The Idol Season 2 is that it was initially envisioned as a limited series and the story seems pretty complete after Episode 5. But who knows? Maybe there’s more to Jocelyn and Tedros’s twisted love story to explore!

When Will The Idol Season 2 Premiere on HBO and Max?

Supposing HBO does renew The Idol, the earliest we’d expect to see a second season would be late 2024. That’s because the bulk of the series we saw was written and directed last spring and summer (after the original production was 80% done). Of course, that’s supposing a series order happens soon and that the AMPTP ends the WGA strike by offering writers a fair bargain for their services. Sam Levinson, The Weeknd, and their staff writers Marlis Yurcisin, Nick Bilton, and Howard A. Rodman can’t pick up a metaphoric pencil until that’s resolved.

Did HBO Cancel The Idol Because of Fan Backlash?

No. Despite reports to the contrary, The Idol wasn’t cut short mid-season by HBO because of poor ratings or negative fan reactions. Confusion arose because the first season of The Idol only ran for five episodes, instead of the expected six. The original series order for the show was for a six-episode long limited series. That shifted to five episodes when co-creator Sam Levinson stepped in as series director and showrunner after The Idol’s original director Amy Seimetz and initial showrunner Joe Epstein abruptly left the production. According to a source close to the production, five episodes is all Levinson needed to capture his vision.