Will Netflix move forward with The Queen's Gambit season 2? The chess-themed drama has been a huge hit for the streaming service, and star Anya Taylor-Joy has expressed interest in a second go-round. Co-created by Scott Frank and Allan Scott, the series is based on Walter Tevis' eponymous 1983 novel. The Queen's Gambit released in October 2020 and has been widely praised by critics.
The Queen's Gambit follows a fictional chess prodigy named Beth Harmon. After a childhood tragedy, she grows up at the Methuen Home for Girls in Kentucky and receives "vitamins" that are actually tranquilizers. Beth's life changes forever when she meets a quiet custodian named Mr. Shaibel (Bill Camp) who teaches her how to play chess. The young girl secretly saves up her green pills and then strategizes chess moves at night while hallucinating. The Queen's Gambit series premiere establishes the addiction premise through Isla Johnston's character, and then jumps ahead a few years when Beth is adopted by Alma Wheatley (Marielle Heller) and Allston Wheatley (Patrick Kennedy).
Throughout seven episodes, The Queen's Gambit stays true to the source material. Beth evolves into a world-class chess player and then suffers a major setback after the death of a loved one. The final episodes focus on Beth's support system of friends and colleagues, and how she chooses to address her on-going drug abuse issues. But there's uncertainty about The Queen's Gambit season 2 ever happening.
The Queen's Gambit Season 2 Renewal
The Queen's Gambit season 2 hasn't been greenlit by Netflix. The show has been marketed as a limited series, much like Godless, so it's highly unlikely that season 2 will be produced. The writer-director, Scott Frank, seems especially thrilled with his work, telling EW, "This was the single best experience I've had in a 30-some-odd year career full of really nice experiences... I have no idea how people are going to take it, but it's the first time I'm willing to admit just how happy I am. Normally I'm afraid to ever say that.”
The rave reviews for The Queen's Gambit may inspire Frank and company to make season 2; however, that would involve writing brand new material that's not in Tevis' book. According to Taylor-Joy (via Town & Country), she's willing to reprise her role: “If I've learned anything from being in this industry, it's never say never... I adore the character, and I would certainly come back if I was asked to, but I do think we leave Beth in a good place."
The Queen's Gambit Season 2 Release Date
If Netflix does move forward with The Queen's Gambit season 2, new episodes probably won't release for several years. Frank would presumably consult with the estate of Tevis, who passed away in 1984 at age 56, to receive a blessing for writing new material. After all, Tevis is the same author who wrote The Hustler, The Man Who Fell to Earth, and The Color of Money, among other acclaimed novels. If Frank ends up writing his own scripts for The Queen's Gambit season 2, the new installment may not release for three to five years.
The Queen's Gambit Season 2 Story
The Queen's Gambit ends with narrative closure, as Beth manages to successfully address her addiction issues and subsequently defeat her top international rival, the Russian Vasily Borgov (Marcin Dorociński). Beth also learns to love herself as an individual, which positively affects her friendships and overall demeanor. Moving forward, she'll need to further address her complicated past in order to have a healthy romantic relationship. If The Queen's Gambit season 2 does happen on Netflix, expect Harry Beltik (Harry Melling) and Benny Watts (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) to compete for Beth's heart during an early to mid '70s timeline.