Espionage thriller Lioness will return for a second season on Paramount+ after setting a streaming record for the platform.
The streamer announced the renewal news on Thursday, May 9, and said Oscar winner Morgan Freeman has been upped to a series regular for the new season.
Zoe Saldaña leads the cast of the drama — previously called Special Ops: Lioness — as Joe, a CIA officer in charge of the Lioness program in the field. The actress is also an executive producer on the series from Taylor Sheridan.
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Saldaña is set to return for season 2, along with Laysla De Oliveira as CIA Lioness Sergeant Cruz Manuelos; Michael Kelly as CIA Deputy Director Byron Westfield; and Oscar winner Nicole Kidman as Kaitlyn Meade, a high-ranking CIA official and Joe’s boss.
The first season set a record as the most-watched series premiere on Paramount+ at that time, with nearly six million total viewers globally in its first week on the platform and on the Paramount Network TV channel.
“Our Paramount+ audience resoundingly has joined forces in support of Lioness’ gripping, global story and the powerhouse performances from Zoe Saldaña, Laysla De Oliveira and Nicole Kidman,” Jeff Grossman, executive vice president of programming at Paramount+, said in a statement. “We cannot wait to see more of the heart-stopping suspense and action that Taylor Sheridan and the incredibly talented team deliver in its second season.”
Lioness is inspired by an actual U.S. military program using female soldiers and follows the life of Joe (Saldaña) while she attempts to balance her personal and professional life as a key player in the CIA’s war on terror.
Season one ended with Cruz (De Oliveira) assassinating a terrorism financier during a soul-draining undercover operation. After completing the mission, she turned against her recruiter and handler Joe, for pushing her to the limits physically and emotionally.
The series also stars Dave Annable, Jill Wagner, LaMonica Garrett, James Jordan, Austin Hébert, Jonah Wharton, and Hannah Love Lanier.
The drama is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios for Paramount+.
In addition to Saldaña, executive producers include Taylor Sheridan, David C. Glasser, Nicole Kidman, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari, David Hutkin, Jill Wagner, David Lemanowicz, Geyer Kosinski, Michael Friedman and Keith Cox.
A premiere date will be announced later.
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