How long will we have to wait for The Young Pope Season 2?

By Reuben Levine | Jan 26, 2017

We’re already counting down the days

It may be a little odd to wonder about a second season while the first is still airing, but we’re going to make an exception here. The Young Pope, the beautifully surreal new series from Paolo Sorrentino, is currently nearing the halfway point of its first season. In other territories, it actually wrapped up in November. HBO has been rushing through its 10 episode run, ostensibly to make room for Big Little Lies in February. Since it’s going to be over so soon, why not wonder about season 2?

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We don’t have to wonder whether or not a second season is going to exist – that has already been confirmed. It’s coming, we just don’t know when. What we do know is that The Young Pope season 2 is going to have to work around, at the very least, Jude Law’s schedule. And then there is Diane Keaton and James Cromwell. Granted, we don’t know if all of those characters are going to make it out of the first season; the word “death” was floating around in a recent preview.

Realistically we are not expecting The Young Pope season 2 anytime before 2018. Technically it’s a 2016 production and only aired here in 2017, and even if it kicks back into gear before the end of this year, it’s still going to air elsewhere first. That could push it to late 2018, or maybe even early 2019. The only thing that we can count on right now is that it’s actually going to happen.

Next: New posters for Big Little Lies.

If it does air next year, HBO will likely want to position it strategically so it doesn’t interfere with Westworld or the final season of Game of Thrones. The Young Pope is not a full HBO production, and they’re going to want to take care of their own shows before worrying about it. If you’re still on the fence about The Young Pope, we urge you to give it a shot. It’s not for everyone, but it’s worth a solid try at least.