“Lioness” is coming back.
Taylor Sheridan’s spy thriller, previously titled “Special Ops: Lioness,” will return for a second season on Paramount+. Returning cast members include Zoe Saldaña, Laysla De Oliveira, Michael Kelly and Nicole Kidman, with Morgan Freeman upped to a series regular in season two. (Kidman and Saldaña are also executive producers.) The series is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios exclusively for Paramount+.
When the series premiered last summer, it “set a new record as the service’s most-watched worldwide series premiere on launch day, at that time, with nearly six million total viewers in its first week across Paramount+ globally and a linear preview on the Paramount Network” (according to the official press release).
The series, inspired by an actual military program, saw CIA agent Joe (Saldaña) training a young recruit (De Oliveira) as she goes undercover, posing as the best friend to the daughter of a known terrorist. Mixing visceral thrills with wonderful character moments, it was another Sheridan-produced smash for the streaming service. (Besides creating and producing the show, Sheridan wrote every episode of the first season.)
“Our Paramount+ audience resoundingly has joined forces in support of ‘Lioness’’ gripping, global story and the powerhouse performances from Zoe Saldaña, Laysla De Oliveira and Nicole Kidman,” said Jeff Grossman, Executive Vice President, Programming, Paramount+, in an official statement. “We cannot wait to see more of the heart-stopping suspense and action that Taylor Sheridan and the incredibly talented team deliver in its second season.”
“’Lioness’ captivated audiences around the world as one of the most-watched global series premieres on Paramount+ last year,” said Chris McCarthy, Office of the CEO, Paramount Global and President & CEO, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios, in an official statement. “Driven by Taylor Sheridan’s masterful storytelling and Nicole Kidman’s and Zoe Saldaña’s remarkable performances, season two promises to immerse audiences in yet another riveting, adrenaline-fueled journey.”
In addition to “Lioness,” Sheridan also has “Tulsa King” and “Mayor of Kingstown” on his Paramount+ slate (with new seasons currently in production), along with upcoming series “Landman” (led by Billy Bob Thornton) and a second season of “Yellowstone” prequel series “1923,” scheduled to shoot later this year. Previous Sheridan hits include “Lawmen: Bass Reeves” and “1883.”
