Dark Matter Season 2: What We Know About The Apple TV+ Series

Who’s ready for a second helping of Dark Matter? Season 2 is a go, so let’s get into what we know.

If you need proof that Apple TV+ really does deserve a spot among the best streaming services out there, I suggest you check out one of the numerous excellent book-to-screen adaptations on the platform, some of which are among Apple TV+'s best shows. That brings us to the subject at hand, which is Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter, a sci-fi series that you can stream with an Apple TV+ subscription.

While I would’ve been satisfied by how the series played out if it remained a stand-alone story, much like the book on which it’s based, I’m happy that Apple TV+ has renewed the series for Season 2. I'll get into my thoughts on that later. But for now, here's what we know about the second season so far...

Spoiler Alert: From this point forward, spoilers from Dark Matter Season 1 are in play, so I suggest you read no further if you’re still getting caught up on the sci-fi series. (And if you aren't caught up and you have an Apple TV+ subscription, I definitely recommend checking out this series!)

What Is The Dark Matter Season 2 Premiere Date?

Short answer: There’s no release date set yet.

Sadly, we don’t have a confirmed release date for Season 2 of Dark Matter just yet, but there has been forward progress in production, which I’ll get to in a second. The series was renewed for Season 2 in August 2024, just as Season 1 was wrapping up its exciting conclusion.

When I say that Dark Matter is one of my favorite books, I’m not exaggerating. It’s on a relatively short list of books that I would call an all-time favorite, 5-star read. For me, it’s right up there with other sci-fi novels like Pierce Brown’s Red Rising, Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary, and Crouch’s Recursion as one of the books I was simultaneously hopeful and anxious to see it adapted for the screen someday. So to say that I was relieved that the Dark Matter TV show was good in its first season is an understatement. Now I really can’t wait to see where the series goes in its second season.

Here’s hoping the show finds a spot at some point on the 2025 TV schedule, but there’s been no confirmation yet of when it will arrive on Apple TV+.

Dark Matter Season 2 Is Filming

And that brings us to production. The good news is, production for Dark Matter Season 2 got rolling in February 2025. On February 10th, Blake Crouch posted some photos of himself on set, along with the news that principal photography had begun for the second season of the series.

Season 1 of the series filmed in Chicago, and based on Backstage’s casting call for Season 2, it seems the Windy City will serve as the backdrop for Season 2 as well.

What Will Dark Matter Season 2 Be About?

That’s the question at hand, isn’t it? Dark Matter Season 1 followed the bullet points of the book on which it’s based, with some notable deviations, of course. That is to say, a science professor is abducted and finds himself thrown into exactly the kind of mind-bending scenario that sci-fi fans adore.

The first season does end with “our” Jason leaving his reality, along with Daniela and Charlie, set for some unknown reality of Charlie’s choosing to escape the madness of many Jasons in his world and start over somewhere new. That could’ve closed the book on the show, though there were indications of other loose ends needing to be resolved.

Apple TV+’s announcement of the renewal doesn’t go into a ton of detail about what’s in store for Season 2, but it does include some quotes from the people behind the show, including Blake Crouch, who’s not only the author of the source material, but the showrunner of the series. Here’s what he had to say about Season 2:

If there’s anything big to glean from that, beyond Crouch’s evident enthusiasm for digging further into the world he’s created, it’s the mention of the characters fighting for survival and finding their way home. While we might conclude that three of those characters make up the Dessen family, who might have to figure out what “home” is for their future, there are certainly other characters Crouch could be referencing, like Ryan (Jimmi Simpson), Blair (Amanda Brugel), Amanda (Alice Braga) or any number of other versions of Jason, Charlie and Daniela.

There’s certainly potential for big things for all of the characters as we move further into this story.

And here’s the post Blake Crouch shared on his Instagram when Season 2 as renewed:

The Dark Matter Cast

Apple TV+’s announcement about Season 2 didn’t dive into specifics about the cast, but we can assume that the plan is to bring back Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Connelly and Oakes Fegley for their roles as Jason, Daniela and Charlie Dessen respectively. In fact, I’m hopeful that everyone from the original cast will return at some point or another, and given that this is a story that involves many realities, the opportunities for character appearances are presumably endless, right?

Here’s who starred in Season 1 of Dark Matter, and who we hope to see back for Season 2.

• Joel Edgerton (Jason)
• Jennifer Connelly (Daniela)
• Alice Braga (Amanda)
• Amanda Brugel (Blair)
• Oakes Fegley (Charlie)
• Dayo Okeniyi (Leighton Vance)
• Jimmi Simpson (Ryan)
• New for Season 2: Chris Diamantopoulos (character unknown)

In March 2025, in addition to sharing word that Chris Diamantopoulos was joining the cast for Season 2, Deadline reported the (also very good) news that Amanda Brugel has been promoted to series regular. So it seems we’ll be seeing more of Blair in this next installment, which is awesome.

The same goes for the creative minds behind the show. Apple TV+’s announcement notes that Blake Crouch is the creator, executive producer and showrunner of the series – that’s presumably still the case going into the second season. Crouch produces the series alongside Matt Tolmach. Joel Edgerton also serves as an executive producer, as does Jacquelyn Ben-Zekry.

Why I’m Excited For Season 2 of Dark Matter

Some part of me wants to say maybe it’d be ok to leave Dark Matter as a stand-alone season. (Especially if that were to mean freeing up Blake Crouch to write more great books and/or maybe be involved in the Recursion adaptation that many of us are eagerly waiting to hear updates about.) But as I mentioned earlier, there were enough loose ends with the characters in Season 1 that a second season has some interesting places to go and characters to catch up with. Beyond that, there's one specific thing I really liked about the book that I think the show did really well, so let's get into it.

As a fan of the book…

I remember when I first read Dark Matter, trying to wrap my mind around the many different Jason Dessens, and grappling with the resentment I felt toward Jason 2 for what he put “our” Jason through, while also having to remind myself that these two characters are the same man, though they’ve lived somewhat different lives due to the choices they made. Watching characters based on the same person who are different people as a result of their chosen paths is exactly the kind of bizarro sci-fi concept my brain wants to wander off with, and I feel like that aspect carried over really nicely in the TV adaptation.

There’s one specific scene that sold me on Dark Matter’s future as a series beyond one season:

The scene that really stuck with me was from the Season 1 finale (“Entanglement”) when some of the other Jasons show up to see Jason, Daniela and Charlie off. There’s a moment when it’s clear some of the Jasons want to intervene. It’s like it goes against everything in them to let Daniela and Charlie leave with anyone but them – and that makes sense, because each Jason loves them more than anything else in the world. After all, these are all Jasons who chose the path that led to having this family. But it also makes sense that any Jason who’s still in touch with who he really is -- meaning he hasn't turned violent as some of the other Jasons have -- would want the best for his wife and son, even if that means not being the one to be with them.

This fascinating conflict is on full display in that scene, and it becomes evident that the only way our Jason can leave with Daniela and Charlie is if he – every other version of him in the vicinity – allows himself to. Every one of him has to choose it, and the way I interpret that is that if he can’t let them go, does he really deserve them?

Choices

All of this is to say, I feel like Dark Matter – the TV show – really locked into one of the things I loved so much about the book, which is the impact choices have on our lives and realities. And it’s for that reason that I’m feeling very optimistic that future episodes will be able to run with that concept in new and exciting ways, and not just with Jason, but with the other characters we've met (and some we haven't met, I'm sure), and hopefully even more separate versions of those characters.

More realities!

Also, I want to see more alternate realities. Lots and lots of different earths, please. And more different versions of the characters we love.

So yes, I’m invested. Bring on Season 2!

Hopefully we’ll have more updates on the series now that production has started. In the meantime, you can catch all of Season 1 streaming on Apple TV+