'Sanctuary: A Witch's Tale' Renewed for Season 2

Sanctuary: A Witch's Tale, the Sundance Now (and AMC+) original series based on the VV James novel Sanctuary, will return for a second season. The surprise announcement came in mid-August 2024, over six months since the show's original January debut. Despite the tiny viewership numbers (which, let's admit, are par for the course at Sundance and AMC+), the niche group of streaming services have been all in on Witchcraft and the supernatural, in hopes of bolstering the Anne Rice Universe, which AMC Networks continues to build out. From A Discovery of Witches to the more recent release of Domino Day, the James novel, about an alternate earth where witches live peacefully beside regular people (until they don't), the series fits the network's briefing well enough to bring back for more.

Season 1 used up nearly all the material from the 2020 James novel, but that's not a problem, as the author already wrote a follow-up novel that's due out in October 2024. Called Bittershore, the Urban Fantasy is billed as "Big Little Lies meets The Crucible in this fearless portrait of the hatred and hysteria that can so swiftly corrode a community consumed by bigotry." It's also handed the writers a plot to follow, which makes creating a second season far easier (and most likely more smoothly) than some other shows that attempted to continue after using up all the adaptable material.

The six-episode second season of the series is scheduled to begin filming before the end of August 2024 in Ireland, with an eye to finishing before the end of the year. Debra Hayward, co-founder of producer Monumental Television, said, "We have loved our continuing collaboration with AMC on season two of Sanctuary: A Witch's Tale. [Writer] Susie Conklin has taken on the mantle and made it her own, and we couldn't have asked for a better cast to bring the story to life. The first season was so well received by audiences, and we can't wait for them to see what Season 2 has in store." 

Here's the second season synopsis:

Season two picks up a year after the traumatic events of season one. Sarah Fenn and her daughter Harper are in hiding in Scotland, concealing Harper's extraordinary powers, but a dark cloud is descending as recent anti-witch legislation has increased hate crimes. As Sarah worries worse is to come, she's presented with a dramatic ultimatum - return to Sanctuary as the secret eyes and ears of the witch ruling body, The Moot, or have her magic bound. Determined to retain her powers and protect Harper at all costs, Sarah returns home just as a mysterious murder takes place, also drawing DCI Maggie Knight back to Sanctuary.

Season 2 will see the returns of Elaine Cassidy (The Wonder) as Sarah, Hazel Doupe (You Are Not My Mother) as Harper, and Stephanie Levi-John (The Spanish Princess) as DCI Knight. Also reprising their roles are Valerie O'Connor (Nowhere Special) as Bridget Paterson, Daniel Adegboyega (Grace) as Pierre Martineau, Elish Liburd (Ace of Diamonds) as Izzy Paterson, Holly Sturton (The School for Good & Evil) as Bea Garston, and Marcus Lamb (Dublin Murders) as Robert Alton. Season 2 additions include Claire Cooper (The Hardacres), James O'Donoghue (Smother), and Clive Standen (Vikings).

Debbie Horsfield created the series for television and passes the baton to Conklin for Season 2, who serves as lead writer, with Elinor Cook and Chloe Moss also penning episodes. Directors Hannah Quinn and Dathaí Keane split helming duties on the new six-episode season. Horsfield executive produces with author James, Hayward, plus Guymon Cassady, Alison Owen, Alison Carpenter, Jill Forbes, and Amira El-Nemr. 

Sanctuary: A Witch's Tale Season 2 is expected out in 2025.