Wednesday Universe Expands: New Season and Spin-Off Teased

Netflix has revealed the first look at Billie Piper in her upcoming role in the second season of Wednesday, the supernatural teen comedy series that stars Jenna Ortega. The British actress, 42, has been added to the cast as Isadora Capri, the darkly talented and mysterious music teacher at Wednesday’s school, Nevermore Academy.

The Wednesday character was originally described as a “cold, clever child prodigy who now works as head of music at the academy,” and appears to have taken a special interest in Wednesday’s musical abilities. In addition to Wednesday, Piper’s rival will also befriend werewolf Enid Sinclair, played by recurring cast member Emma Myers.

Piper is no stranger to gothic or supernatural series. The actress is perhaps best known for her role as Brona Croft/The Bride of Frankenstein in the show Penny Dreadful, but has also appeared in many similarly dark projects, including Doctor Who, Atlantis, and Versailles. Wednesday’s producers are no doubt fans of Piper after the success of season one, and her appointment to the cast has been met with approval from fans on social media.

Netflix released the first look at Piper on Wednesday alongside an announcement about the future of the record-breaking series. Wednesday first premiered on Netflix in November 2022, becoming an instant global hit. By 2023, 252 million Netflix members had watched the series around the world, making Wednesday the largest English-language series on the streaming platform to date. The massive success led to the series being renewed in January of this year for a second season, which is now confirmed to premiere in August.

Wednesday follows Wednesday Addams (22-year-old Jenna Ortega), the young daughter of Morticia and Gomez from The Addams Family, as she attends Nevermore Academy, a school for “supernatural misfits.” The series was an instant success, delighting fans with its blend of horror and humor and smart take on the teen rebellion genre. The macabre series even became a favorite of Emmy voters, with nods for both Ortega and Catherine Zeta-Jones, who plays her mother, Morticia.

Wednesday Season 3 Renewed; Spin-Off in Works

Billie Piper isn’t the only big announcement that came on Wednesday: the series was also officially renewed for a third season, and a potential spin-off show is also in early talks. A representative for Netflix confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter. “Wednesday has been officially renewed for a third season, and in addition, a spin-off is in early development.”

When asked about a potential spin-off in a recent interview, co-creator Alfred Gough teased, “It’s something we’re noodling; there are other characters we can look at.” Fans on social media celebrated the news of the renewal and potential spin-off with as much gusto as the news of Billie Piper’s arrival. Catherine Zeta-Jones confirmed the season three renewal herself in a sly Instagram post: “When Wednesday comes, a better day. Wednesday season three. It’s official… we shall return.” Fans piled into the comments, with posts like “And for many more seasons” and “I can’t wait to see the second season, I’m waiting for it with great curiosity… and the third is already official, fantastic news!”

Fans also had some misgivings about what the wait might be like for season three. The show’s second season will be released more than two years after the first, which led to some consternation from fans when the second season was renewed in January. Season two had not yet begun production, so fans are hopeful that the series will return to its scheduled August 2024 release and that a third season will not be so far away. One fan summed up the feelings of many others: “I’ll be gripping the sheets in agony waiting, but please… don’t let us wait three years again.”

Regular producer and occasional director Tim Burton, 66, will be returning to shape the new season as well. The American filmmaker also recently worked with Ortega on Beetlejuice, the upcoming sequel to the 1988 cult film. In addition to Billie Piper, the cast will also welcome several big names this season, with the likes of Lady Gaga, Steve Buscemi, Joanna Lumley, and Thandie Newton being added to the cast. Meanwhile, returning players include Gwendoline Christie as headteacher Larissa Weems and Luis Guzmán as Gomez Addams, Wednesday’s father.

Meanwhile, Ortega has also been allowed to work more closely on the show behind the camera as well. Ortega came under fire for some comments she made in a podcast interview, in which she said that she often had to “change lines” and had to “put her foot down” over inconsistencies in her character’s development. Director Tim Burton came out in her defense following the controversy, saying that she had been misunderstood. Now, Ortega has been given the title of producer on the show in what co-creator Alfred Gough described as a “natural” step, as the actress has been deeply involved with the creative process since the show’s beginning, and frequently provided feedback on scripts.

Joanna Lumley, one of the new faces to be added to the cast, gave an early indication of how she felt about working in the universe: “There’s always something thrilling about working for Tim Burton. His whole mind takes him to a different world, and the world that they’ve created here for Wednesday and Nevermore and the family is just intoxicating.”