‘Widow’s Bay’ Renewed For Season 2, Apple TV Doubles Down On Matthew Rhys’ Cursed Island Hit
Apple TV has been quietly building one of the most talked about new shows of the year, and fans of horror comedy have plenty of reasons to pay attention to ‘Widow’s Bay.’ The series follows Mayor Tom Loftis, played by Matthew Rhys, as he tries to drag his struggling New England town into the modern era while dodging superstitious locals who insist their island is cursed. With no reliable Wi-Fi and spotty cell service, Loftis has his hands full just trying to keep things running, let alone convince anyone he is capable of leading.
The show originally debuted in late April and has steadily built a devoted audience thanks to its blend of dark humor and genuine scares. It currently holds an impressive 97% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a number that has helped fuel word of mouth heading into its first season finale.
Now the news fans have been hoping for is official. Apple TV announced that ‘Widow’s Bay’ has been renewed for a second season, with the announcement landing just days before the season one finale arrives. Apple TV has also signed series creator Katie Dippold to a multiyear overall deal, meaning she will continue as showrunner while also developing new projects for the platform.
Dippold has been candid about how long this project has been with her. She has revealed that she had the concept for the show in her head for nearly twenty years, and almost sold an earlier version of it to Amazon back in 2013 before pulling it back at the last minute. As for what comes next, the creator has offered a cheeky tease about the direction of season two. Dippold said that season two is about how everything is great on the island and there is nothing to worry about, a line that longtime fans of the show will immediately recognize as foreshadowing for more chaos rather than less.
Apple TV’s head of programming also weighed in on the renewal, framing it as a reflection of the buzz the show has generated since launch. He said that from the moment audiences arrived in Widow’s Bay, they have been hooked on every eerie mystery, unexpected laugh and cursed secret that the creative team has delivered, and that the show has become one of those series everyone is talking about, speaking in a statement shared by The Hollywood Reporter.
Behind the scenes, the show boasts a notable creative team. Hiro Murai directed five of the season’s episodes and executive produces alongside Carver Karaszewski, Claudia Shin and Rhys, with additional episodes directed by Ti West, Sam Donovan and Andrew DeYoung. The cast rounding out the ensemble includes Kate O’Flynn, Stephen Root, Kingston Rumi Southwick, Kevin Carroll, Dale Dickey, K Callan and Jeff Hiller.
The season one finale is set to arrive on June 17, closing out a run that has seen Loftis facing a major storm threatening the entire island as he tries to find a way to end the curse plaguing the town. With renewal confirmed and Dippold locked in for more, the only real question left is how quickly Apple TV can get cameras rolling again. Since the show films on location in New England, a delay tied to winter weather could push a season two premiere into late 2027 or even early 2028.
For now, fans can celebrate knowing their favorite cursed island is sticking around. What do you think Loftis and the residents of Widow’s Bay have in store once everything supposedly becomes great on the island, drop your predictions for season two below.
