‘The Old Man’ Season 2: Release Date Speculation, News, Cast, and More

The Old Man Season 2 was already in production before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. So does that mean we’ll see the critically acclaimed series return sooner rather than later on FX and Hulu?

Here’s what we know so far about The Old Man Season 2. There may be spoilers ahead for the first season.

The Old Man Season 2 Is Happening

Good news for fans of The Old Man, as we’re definitely getting The Old Man Season 2. FX renewed the show a week after the first season premiered on June 16, 2022. The series is based on a 2017 novel by Thomas Perry and created by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine.

The show follows Dan Chase, who fled from the CIA decades prior and has since stayed off the grid. When an assassin arrives to try and kill him, Dan is forced to make peace with his past to secure his future. Harold Harper, the FBI assistant director and Dan’s old friend also happens to be leading the efforts to find and capture him.

With its first season, The Old Man quickly became one of the most-watched original shows on FX. The Old Man even received nominations in the Golden Globe, Critics Choice Awards, and the SAG awards.

The Old Man Cast

For The Old Man Season 2, we can expect the show’s main cast to return. This includes Jeff Bridges as Dan Chase/Johnny Kohler, Navid Negahban as Belour Hamzad, John Lithgow as Harold Harper, Gbenga Akinnagbe as Julian Carson, Amy Brenneman as Zoe McDonald, Kenneth Mitchell as Joe, Joel Grey as Morgan Bote, Pej Vahdat as the young Faraz Hamzad, Echo Kellum as Mike, Jessica Harper as Cheryl Harper, and Rowena King as Nina Kruger.

The younger versions of Dan Chase, Harold Harper, and Belour Hamzad are also expected to return, played by Bill Heck, Christopher Redman, and Pej Vahdat respectively. E.J. Bonilla, who plays Raymond Waters, will not be returning for Season 2 as the character was already killed in the first season. Could the same be said for Alia Shawkat as Angela Adams/Emily Chase/Parwana Hamzad? It’s unclear, but the viewers will learn more about what happens after she got kidnapped.

The Old Man executive producer Dan Shotz confirmed Brenneman’s return as Zoe McDonald for season two.

“Amy is such a brilliant actress and partner in this,” Shotz told Deadline. Shotz also confirmed that Dan’s two rottweilers will be back for the season two, saying “I don’t know if The Old Man is a show without the dogs.”

No new additions to The Old Man Season 2 have been announced, so we can only wait for an announcement.

The Old Man is executive produced by Steinberg, Levine, Bridges, Warren Littlefield, David Schiff, and Jon Watts. Watts directed the first two episodes of the show.

What Happened in Season 1

Season one of The Old Man saw major reveals, a kidnapping, and an open-ended finale. Angela is kidnapped and unaware that the Afghan warlord Hamzad is her own father. One of the changes made to the narrative was that the protagonist, also named Dan Chase, didn’t steal money from the warlord and the US government. In the show, it’s Hamzad’s wife, who is also Dan’s love interest.

Another change was Angela’s connection with Hamzad, something that was not present in the book.

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Lithgow and Bridges talked about their dynamic on set and as their characters at the time when production was going on for season two.

“We had a lot to talk about as far as the characters, but in that char, we were able to come to the realization that we shared so much. We’re both from theatrical families and approach the work in a very similar way,” said Bridges.

“These are two guys who knew each other extremely well, 30 years ago, but had to be separated, basically pretend the other one did not even exist. Now we’re thrust back together, under the most violent circumstances. One of us has even plotted to have the other assassinated! And there we are with knowledge of that having happened, stuck in a car together, racing across the countryside. That’s pretty great stuff,” said Lithgow, regarding Dan and Harold’s relationship.

What to Expect for Season 2

There is no official synopsis released yet for The Old Man Season 2. But following the events of season one, The Old Man Season 2 may include more flashbacks to Dan and Harold’s experiences in Afghanistan. The flashbacks may be added to give more context to the show’s plot twists. It is also possible, however, that Dan and Harold may only need to share about their experiences rather than in flashbacks.

“Some of the season two plan if for these guys to go back to this place that they spent so much time in when they were younger, and to see the past through their present eyes,” Steinberg told Deadline.

Both Dan and Harold may have to revisit their fighting skills, and saving Angela may also be part of the main missions in the season. Angela is still unaware that Hamzad is her father so the big reveal for her has yet to come. Fortunately, Steinberg hinted that Angela will learn who her father is quickly.

“As a general rule, we never want a character to be too far behind the audience. So that’s coming pretty quickly for her,” said Steinberg.

A few other reveals surrounding Zoe are also to be expected for season two. Shotz said he was interested in delving more into Zoe’s background.

The Old Man Season 2 Release Date

Even though we’re getting The Old Man Season 2, we’ve yet to get an official release date due to the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. The Writers’ Guild of America went on strike on May 2, 2023, followed by the SAG-AFTRA strike on July 14, 2023.

The show was renewed in mid-2022. And the scripts and production of the show had already begun for The Old Man Season 2. Filming reportedly started on March 20th and was scheduled to go through June 16, after the WGA strike, but before the SAG-AFTRA strike.

However, Deadline reported on May 22, 2023, that production for The Old Man Season 2 had ceased. Five episodes were already written, but only four were filmed, with “the last remaining script needing rewrites,” according to Deadline. There’s also no word on the official episode count, but season two will likely have six episodes. 

The set of the show in Santa Clarita was picketed, adding to delays in production. Bridges, who was with a producer, crossed the picket line in a van on that day.

With this in mind, The Old Man Season 2 will likely be out in 2024, depending on how long the strikes continue. For now, fans can rewatch the first season on Hulu.