Severance season 2 release updates, strike delay, and everything we know so far

Severance on Apple TV+ shook up the streaming world with its first season. The captivating drama had audiences on the edge of their seats with mystery, drama, and shocking twists. If you missed it, you’re missing out — and you can stream all season 1 episodes on the Apple TV+ platform. Already caught up and wondering when Severance season 2 will premiere? That’s the question on everyone’s minds.

Created by Dan Erickson, Severance debuted in Feb. 2022 and received critical acclaim, going on to receive multiple Emmy Award nominations and two wins. The sci-fi series follows protagonist Mark S. (Adam Scott), who joins undergoes a procedure after losing his wife. Now, after going through the “severance,” his consciousness during the day at work is split from his consciousness in his personal life. His “outie” self doesn’t know anything that he does at work, and vice versa.

After that wild season finale, we cannot wait for Severance season 2. Here’s everything we know about the upcoming installment.

Spoilers ahead for Severance season 1.

Severance season 2 is officially happening

It didn’t take long for Apple TV+ to renew Severance for a second season, with the announcement coming a few days before the season 1 finale. Director Ben Stiller provided a statement when the good news came out, saying that it’s “really exciting to see the response from people who are loving the show — and the level of fan engagement.”

Actress Britt Lower, who plays Helly R. in Severance, took to Instagram to share her excitement over the second season announcement.

Severance season 2 cast

At this time, we’re expecting most, if not all, of the cast to return for Severance season 2, which includes:

• Adam Scott as Mark S.
• Britt Lower as Helly R.
• Patricia Arquette as Harmony Cobel
• Dichen Lachman as Ms. Casey
•  John Turturro as Irving Bailiff
• Zach Cherry as Dylan George
• Christopher Walken as Burt Goodman
• Jen Tullock as Devon Hale
• Tramell Tillman as Seth Milchick
• Michael Chernus as Ricken Hale

We’ll also be seeing some exciting cast additions in season 2, with actors Gwendoline Christie, Merritt Wever, Alia Shawkat, Bob Balaban, Robby Benson, Stefano Carannante, John Noble, and Ólafur Darri Ólafsson joining.

Severance season 1 ending explained

It’s a good thing that Severance was renewed for a second season before the finale premiered because what a finale that was! That cliffhanger had me screaming at the screen.

Milchick broke into the control room during the final moments of the Severance season 1 finale, so Dylan had to let go, releasing the “outies.” This happened just as Mark saw a picture of his late wife, immediately recognizing her as Ms. Casey. Irving, Helly, and Mark are in big trouble for what they did. The consequences are going to be more than a simple time-out. We should also learn whether or not Mark successfully told his sister about Ms. Casey in season 2.

Severance creator Dan Erickson said of the season 1 conclusion:

"“We tried to make something that gave us some satisfaction, some modicum of joy, but also opens the door for a lot of different new avenues that we’re gonna go. It’s fun to think about how the events of this episode change the world and change the game for all the characters and how they’re now going to have to contend with that.”"

Will the writers and actors strike delay Severance season 2?

In case you missed it, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) has been on strike since May after not being able to come to an agreement on their new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). That means any writers’ rooms that were working on shows or movies had to be placed on hold, and still are to this day. On July 14, the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG–AFTRA) went on strike as well, meaning actors in the SAG cannot work with the AMPTP, either.

Production on many shows and movies is being shut down, meaning eventual delays in releases. So what does this mean for Severance season 2? Well, the second season began filming in Oct. 2022, and it was reported they were scheduled to finish by May 2023. On May 8, however, Deadline reported that filming for season 2 in New York had been shut down because of the strike, and then later reports claimed the production picked back up the same month in Canada.

At this time, we don’t know if filming for Severance season 2 was completed before the actors went on strike. Cast members like Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Sydney Cole Alexander, Jen Tullock, and Tramell Tillman were out picketing in May, as seen on Instagram, and most have been vocal supporters of the strikes.

If filming for Severance season 2 is over, that means there shouldn’t be a delay in the next installment’s release. However, if they still need to shoot more scenes, we’re likely looking at a pushed-back season. At the time of this writing, there’s no timeframe for how long the writers and actors strikes will go on. They haven’t reached a deal with the AMPTP yet, and we support these creators as they strike. All of this said, there’s a chance Severance season 2 will be delayed.

Does Severance season 2 have a release date?

Severance season 2 does not have a release date at this time. If they completed filming and are in post-production now, a 2023 release date is definitely still possible. But if the actors strike is pushing back the show’s return, our guess is we won’t see new episodes until 2024. Once we hear more updates regarding the show’s status, we’ll be sure to update this post!

Keep up with us at Hidden Remote for all of our Apple TV+ coverage.

FanSided Entertainment Staff contributed to this report.