Wednesday season 2 makes BIG changes to cast as filming finally begins

Wednesday news on a Tuesday? Netflix always keeps us on our toes! On May 7, the streaming service surprise dropped the news we all had been waiting ever so impatiently for: Wednesday season 2 has finally and officially started filming! The streamer shared the exciting news along with a group photo of the cast in Wednesday and Enid's room on social media.

Along with the announcement that cameras have started rolling, Netflix announced that production will be taking place in Ireland, moving from season 1's filming location of Romania. The streamer didn't offer a timeline for filming, but since things are just now getting underway in May 2024, it's likely that production will last through the summer. The second season is still on track for a 2025 release.

But the biggest news out of Netflix about Wednesday season 2 definitely has to do with the cast, which is both shrinking and growing. A number of regular characters and cast members won't be back for season 2, while an even bigger number of new faces will be seen around Nevermore Academy (much to Wednesday's chagrin, of course).

Wednesday season 2 shuffles and adds to cast

Three former season 1 series regulars who could have reprised their roles in season 2 have been confirmed to depart the show as series regulars: Percy Hynes White as Xavier Thorpe, Jamie McShane as Donovan Galpin, and Naomi J. Ogawa as Yoko Tanaka. However, Deadline notes that McShane will reprise his role in season 2 in order to wrap up his character's story.

In addition to those three departures, four recurring cast members from season 1 have been promoted to series regulars, and the promotions make good on a promise for even more Addams family appearances in season 2. We will be seeing a lot more of Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams, Luis Guzmán as Gomez Addams, Isaac Ordonez as Pugsley Addams, and Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo as Ritchie Santiago.

The new series regular roles just keep on coming with five new faces added to the season 2 main cast. Netflix previously announced that Steve Buscemi was joining the cast, though we also now know that he's playing Barry Dort and that he's in the main cast along with Billie Piper (as Capri), Evie Templeton, Owen Painter, and Noah Taylor. The season also brings on the following new guest stars: Christopher Lloyd, Joanna Lumley (as Grandmama), Thandiwe Newton (as Dr. Fairburn), Frances O'Connor, Haley Joel Osment, Heather Matarazzo, and Joonas Suotamo.

Of course, Jenna Ortega and Emma Myers will also be back to reprise their roles, but Netflix also confirmed these cast returns for season 2: Joy Sunday, Hunter Doohan, Victor Dorobantu, Georgie Farmer, and Moosa Mostafa.

Al Gough and Miles Millar, the creators and showrunners of Wednesday, expressed their excitement over the season 2 cast additions as production gets started, as they shared with Netflix, "We are thrilled that the entire Addams family will be enrolling in Nevermore Academy this season along with a dream cast of icons and new faces."

Jenna Ortega, the series' title star and now producer in season 2, previously shared that "everything's bigger" in the second season, and she really wasn't lying considering these cast additions! The Emmy Award-nominated star also teased that season 2 would lean more into horror elements rather than season 1's romantic love triangle. We can't wait to see how all of these new characters play into the chilling tales yet to unfold in season 2.

Stay tuned for more Wednesday news and updates from Netflix Life!