The Hunting Wives season 2: Hit That Has Everyone Talking
When The Hunting Wives landed on Netflix in July 2025, it quickly became the word-of-mouth sensation nobody saw coming. This steamy, twisty thriller about East Coast liberal Sophie O’Neil (Brittany Snow) falling under the spell of charismatic Texas socialite Margo Banks (Malin Akerman) captivated audiences with its mix of erotic tension, murder mystery, and cultural commentary. With its shocking season finale cliffhanger, fans are now eagerly awaiting news about Hunting Wives Season 2 on Netflix. But will the streamer bring back this provocative drama for another round of Texas-sized secrets and scandals? Here’s everything we know so far.
The Road to Renewal: Will Netflix Greenlight Season 2?
The Complicated Licensing Landscape
As of early August 2025, Netflix has not officially renewed The Hunting Wives for a second season. The renewal decision is more complex than typical Netflix originals due to the show’s unusual production history. Originally developed for Starz, the series was produced by Lionsgate Television before Netflix acquired U.S. distribution rights in a last-minute deal just weeks before its July 21 premiere. This unique arrangement means multiple stakeholders—Netflix, Lionsgate, and potentially Starz—must align on the future of the series.
Strong Performance Metrics
Despite these complications, the show’s performance suggests a renewal is possible. The Hunting Wives debuted at No. 3 on Netflix’s Weekly Top 10 English-language series list with 5.2 million views in its first week, and consistently held the No. 2 spot in the U.S. daily rankings thereafter. This strong showing for an acquired series demonstrates significant audience interest that Netflix would be hard-pressed to ignore.
Table: The Hunting Wives Season 1 Performance Metrics
| Metric | Details |
| Weekly Ranking Debut | No. 3 on Netflix English-language series list |
| Viewership in First Week | 5.2 million views |
| U.S. Daily Ranking | Consistently ranked No. 2 for multiple days |
| Global Availability | Currently U.S.-only, with international releases planned on other platforms |
What to Expect in The Hunting Wives Season 2
Plot Directions: Picking Up the Pieces
Season 1 ended with a bloody cliffhanger that sets up numerous narrative possibilities for Season 2. After discovering that Margo killed teenager Abby (due to Margo’s affair with Abby’s boyfriend Brad and subsequent abortion), Sophie is attacked by Margo’s brother Kyle. In self-defense, Sophie runs Kyle over with her car, then disposes of his body off a cliff. The season ends with Margo calling Kyle’s phone—which Sophie now holds—meaning Margo will soon realize something has happened to her brother.
Show creator Rebecca Cutter has hinted that Season 2 would likely involve a time jump (though not a full year) and continue focusing on the twin engines of the series: the whodunit mystery and the complex relationship between Sophie and Margo. Cutter told Variety: “The first thing I’m thinking about is, where are these two women at the start? Where are they at the end? What are the peaks and valleys of their individual power, of their relationship?”.
Character Arcs: Evolution and Confrontation
Margo’s wrath is expected to be a central theme of Season 2. Malin Akerman has teased that her character will be on the “warpath” after Kyle’s death: “Margo is at the point of fear of her wrath—because this is not going to be good when what happened to Kyle comes out”. Akerman also expressed her desire to see Margo “come into her power and take over the fucking world,” though she acknowledged the complications of her character being a murderer.
Sophie’s transformation from outsider to active participant in Maple Brook’s dark underworld is likely to continue. Having gone from sober rule-follower to someone who covers up a death, her moral compass will undoubtedly be further tested in potential future episodes.
Table: Expected Returning Cast for The Hunting Wives Season 2
| Actor | Character | Status |
| Brittany Snow | Sophie O’Neil | Expected to return as protagonist |
| Malin Akerman | Margo Banks | Expected to return as central antagonist |
| Dermot Mulroney | Jed Banks | Likely to return as Margo’s husband |
| Evan Jonigkeit | Graham O’Neil | Likely to return as Sophie’s husband |
| Jaime Ray Newman | Callie | Expected to return as Hunting Wives member |
| Chosen Jacobs | Jamie | Expected to return as key supporting character |
| Karen Rodriguez | Detective Salazar | Could return to investigate new mysteries |
Behind the Scenes: The Unique Nature of This Productio
A Series Born from Network Transition
The Hunting Wives stands out not just for its content but for its unusual production history. The series was originally developed and produced for Starz, known for pushing content boundaries with its “We’re All Adults Here” programming approach. When Lionsgate and Starz separated in May 2025, Lionsgate negotiated the rights back and quickly secured a one-year licensing deal with Netflix for U.S. distribution.
This history explains why The Hunting Wives features more explicit content than typical Netflix originals—it was conceived and produced for a network with different creative parameters. The series shares both an intimacy coordinator and a director (Julie Anne Robinson) with Bridgerton, but pushes well beyond even that show’s steaminess.
When Could The Hunting Wives Season 2 Premiere?
While no official production timeline exists for Season 2, we can make educated guesses based on the first season’s production. Filming for Season 1 began in spring 2024 in North Carolina. If Netflix announces a renewal soon, and given the relatively straightforward production requirements of a drama like this, Season 2 could potentially begin filming in early-to-mid 2026 for a late 2026 or early 2027 release.
International Availability: A Complex Picture
Currently, The Hunting Wives is only available on Netflix in the United States under a one-year exclusive deal. Internationally, the series is available on various platforms: Stan in Australia, Crave in Canada, OSN in the Middle East, and HOT in Israel. Lionsgate has also sold the series to 10 additional territories including the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and India, where it will launch on non-Netflix platforms.
This complicated distribution arrangement could factor into the Season 2 decision, as Netflix typically prefers global rights to its originals. A second season might involve renegotiation of these international rights to create a more unified global release.
Why The Hunting Wives Resonates with Audiences
In an increasingly crowded streaming landscape, The Hunting Wives stands out for its unapologetic embrace of soapy excess and complex female characters. The show delivers exactly what it promises: steamy affairs, shocking twists, and beautiful people behaving badly. As one Facebook viewer commented: “I found myself saying Holy shit and WTH but guess who watched the entire series in two days!! yup guilty! I’m ready for more!”.
The series also benefits from Malin Akerman’s standout performance as Margo, with The New York Times calling her “irresistible” and noting that she “seems to be having an absolute ball purring in a twangy accent and making bedroom eyes at everyone in her vicinity”.
Conclusion: The Waiting Game Continues
As we await an official decision on Hunting Wives Season 2 from Netflix, the show’s strong performance and dedicated fan base provide reason for optimism. The complicated production and distribution arrangements present challenges, but the series’ buzzworthy nature and compelling cliffhanger suggest that Sophie and Margo’s story is far from over.
Whether Netflix will continue this Texas-sized tale of obsession, seduction, and murder remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: audiences have developed a serious obsession with The Hunting Wives that rivals Sophie’s fixation with Margo.
What do you think? Should Netflix renew The Hunting Wives for Season 2? Are you Team Sophie or Team Margo? Share your thoughts and theories about where the story could go next in the comments below! And if you haven’t watched yet, all eight episodes of Season 1 are streaming exclusively on Netflix in the U.S.
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