Apple TV+’s thrilling sci-fi drama series Dark Matter recently stuck the landing with its season 1 finale — to the point where we could almost do without Dark Matter season 2.
But what does series creator, showrunner, and author of the original novel Blake Crouch have to say about continuing the story — beyond both the nine episodes we’ve been served so far and the novel itself?
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“Obviously we know these characters really well by now. And yeah, there’s a little bit of an open-endedness [and] you’ve read my novels — there’s always an open-endedness in my novels. I want the reader to continue the journey in their own mind,” said Crouch.
“As for a season 2, I think we have to let the series play out [and] we have to see where things stand and just do a gut check. See if there’s an appetite for that. But right now, I think we’re just really excited to let everyone finish this first season, which is just the book.”
“We didn’t leave anything out. We didn’t hold anything back for a Dark Matter season 2. Everything in the book that we loved is in this season.”
Leading man Joel Edgerton, who portrays physicist Jason Dessen and all his multiversal variants, added in a separate interview with Screen Rant:
“There are almost too many possibilities. When you’re dealing with a contraption like the box, or if you’re talking about a show that deals with time travel, it’s almost like there’s too many possibilities.”
“The question is what is the best direction to move in? The great thing is, Blake is not somebody who just had one novel in him. Obviously, he’s written many, many great speculative science fiction novels. He’s got an incredible, creative, elastic brain. And I know that he’s already thinking about it.”
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“So the moment there’s any word to say, ‘Let’s do it,’ he’ll be in the science lab, tinkering away, working out what it is, and I guarantee he’ll be inviting people like myself into that process.”
Here’s everything we know about Apple TV+‘s currently theoretical Dark Matter season 2 so far.
Jump To:
- Schrodinger’s Dark Matter season 2
- But what could the second season of Dark Matter be about?
- Who could be in the Dark Matter season 2 cast?
- Dark Matter season 2 release date, trailer, and other updates
Schrodinger’s Dark Matter season 2
While a second season of Dark Matter is entirely possible, at this stage (and given the ongoing sentiments of everyone involved), it’s not looking likely.
“I never intended for the audience to have a definitive idea of where the family ends up, just like what happens in the book,” Blake Crouch explained to Deadline.
“I think that a little bit of the alternate worlds goes a long way.”
“I think people are interested in them, but they’re not as interesting as following the characters along on their journeys. So for us, it was always about, ‘Let’s let the show have as much as it needs to have in terms of episodes to breathe and to tell the story correctly.'”
“But we never wanted to feel like revamping that. Every episode is packed full of meaningful plot that pushes the story along. So we never really contemplated getting longer and more episodic with it.”
Crouch would go on to reveal his next project would take him back to the literary world. And despite how “understanding” his publisher may be, it’s safe to assume there won’t be any more television-related endeavours for a while.
“It’s a whole undiscovered land now, because in the first season, he was working off the novel, and there’s the terror and the excitement of looking into an open space or [a] blank page as to what could be next,” said Joel Edgerton.
“So the short answer is I think everyone had such a great time that we’ll absolutely do more if the appetite is there, and it seems like the show’s done very well.”
Fingers crossed.
But what could the second season of Dark Matter be about?
Dark Matter finale explained
[Dark Matter season 1 spoilers ahead]
After leapfrogging from alternate reality to alternate reality, Jason1 (Joel Edgerton) finally clawed his way back home to Prime Chicago in ‘Jupiter,’ where he was reunited with his wife Daniela (Jennifer Connelly) and son Charlie (Oakes Fegley).
But there’s a twist.
With every world that Jason1 and Amanda Lucas (Alice Braga) entered, they unintentionally created a near-identical variant of themselves on a branched timeline; and each one of those variants would inadvertently create their own variants when they stepped out of The Box, and so on, and so on, and so on.
The result?
Hundreds of Jasons flooding Prime Chicago, all believing themselves to be Jason1, in the hopes of “reclaiming” the life stolen from them by Jason2.
Jason1, Daniela, and Charlie seek refuge in the holiday home of the latter’s friend; where Daniela conclusively decides this Jason is indeed the man she fell in love with. However, that doesn’t exactly stop the variants from tracking them down via Blaire1’s (Amanda Brugel) car first; and then a separate tracker placed on Jason1’s Honda (which Jason2 used to reach them).
It all culminates in a rather violent “last man standing” type ordeal that pits Jasons against Jasons.
Moments before Jason1 is killed and replaced by a rogue (and considerably darker) Jason, he’s saved by Jason2, who opts to redeem himself and mitigate the damage he’s already caused by helping the family escape — armed with 50 ampoules to ditch this reality.
Because deep down, despite how “evil” his actions were, Jason2 is still a Jason. Which means an inherent capacity for good.
The family are greeted at The Box by the surviving Jasons, who (almost) unanimously agree to respect Daniela’s choice, and allow them to find a new life together elsewhere. What happens to them beyond that final depiction of superposition? Who knows.
Where do we go from here?
The closing scenes of the Dark Matter season 1 finale hint at several unresolved arcs, ranging from the stranded Ryan1 (Jimmi Simpson) in progressive science-oriented Chicago, where he finds Alice; to the issue of both Leighton Vances.
The storylines that could conceivably be explored in Dark Matter season 2 include the following:
- The Ballad of Ryan1
With the implication that he’s finally perfected the chemical compound for an ampoule like his variant did in Jason2’s reality, and with the Box navigation knowledge that Amanda retains, there’s every chance Ryan1 returns to Prime Chicago; and perhaps even ferries back his poor, confused alcoholic mechanic of a doppelganger to where he belongs (“I know how he found her, but I can’t say,” reveals Crouch). - A man by many Leightons
Leighton1 appears to be having the time of his trust fund baby life, which could open the door to plenty of shenanigans (“He is having the time of his life,” confirms Crouch). Though the same can’t be said about Leighton2. The last time we saw him, he was limping, bloodied, and in major distress, considering he was reality-hopping blind to dire consequences. There’s something to be explored here.
- Home sweet home?
While it’s certainly the least interesting of the options presented, Jason1, Daniela, and Charlie still need to find a place to stay. Whether that’s as easy as booking a multiversal Airbnb or as difficult as it was for Jason1 throughout season 1 is anybody’s guess. Plus… who’s to say this Jason is actually Jason1? - The Jasons aren’t alright
Yes, as we said before, the Jasons are inherently good. They do, however, still have the capacity for something far… darker. As we’ve now learned, there aren’t any lengths they won’t go to reclaim what they believe is rightfully theirs. So let’s just suppose a faction of Jasons who are dissatisfied with the conclusion of season 1 is established. What then? Does it become a prolonged fight for survival for Jason1 to hold onto what’s already been stolen once?
Then there’s the, shall we say, aggrieved Dawn Lawrence (Aina Brei-Yon) from Jason2’s reality, who feels like the type to seek vengeance for the fingers she lost trying to stop Jason1 and Amanda from escaping; plus Blaire2’s decision to finally leave swarm world and return home.
Who could be in the Dark Matter season 2 cast?
Assuming a sophomore instalment ever gets the green light and the cooperation of all key creatives, and with everything outlined above in mind, we can expect the following:
- Joel Edgerton as physicist Jason Dessen (and all his multiversal variants)
- Jennifer Connelly as Jason’s wife Daniela Dessen
- Oakes Fegley as Charlie Dessen (Jason1 & Daniela’s son)
- Alice Braga as Amanda Lucas (Jason2’s girlfriend; Jason1’s accomplice)
- Jimmi Simpson as Ryan Holder
- Dayo Okeniyi as Leighton Vance1 (potentially as Leighton Vance2)
- Amanda Brugel as the Blaire variants
- Aina Brei-Yon as the Dawn Lawrence variants
Dark Matter season 2 release date, trailer, and other updates
Radio silence on this front. We’ll report back once there is something to report on.
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