Actress Jenna Ortega and the creators of the hit Netflix series "Wednesday" are hoping to surpass expectations as the show returns to screens after almost three years.
The dark fantasy series' first season, which premiered in November 2022, ranks as Netflix's most popular English-language show of all time, with more than 252 million views in the first 91 days of release.
As well as reprising the titular role, Ortega, 22, took on executive producer duties for the new season. Filmmaker Tim Burton also returns as one of the directors and executive producers.
"I've always been very protective of the character. I just want to make sure that we're always doing her justice," said Ortega. "It's the most we've ever seen her on screen so there's a lot of room and opportunity to maybe go off track.
"Fortunately, we have a really great creative team. I'm doing my best to be on it, but you also have people like Tim, who are monitoring."
The second season sees Wednesday returning to Nevermore Academy as a celebrated hero, much to her dismay. She investigates new supernatural mysteries, while dealing with glitches in her psychic powers.
Wednesday also faces another nuisance - family. Her little brother Pugsley starts his studies at Nevermore and their parents are a frequent presence on campus.
'PLAY OF EMOTIONS'
Bringing the Addams Family to the academy allowed co-creators and showrunners Alfred Gough and Miles Millar to expand the storylines of the characters introduced in the first season and explore mother-daughter dynamics.
"We thought, wouldn't that be, for Wednesday, the ultimate thorn in her side if Morticia (her mother) came to school," said Millar.
Catherine Zeta-Jones, who plays Morticia, promised fast-paced scenes between the two.
"It's a dance and a play of emotions," Zeta-Jones said.
The season's focus on female relationships stood out as one of its stronger points for Ortega.
"We're so oftentimes taught to compete against one another and there's always some sort of comparing game that people are going to enforce on you," Ortega said.
"What I love about the women I am working with and the characters, every woman in this show wants to see the other succeed. I think that's really important for young people to see today," she added.
The sophomore season also introduces new characters, including Steve Buscemi's Nevermore principal Barry Dort and the Addams family matriarch Grandmama Hester Frump, played by Joanna Lumley. Pop star Lady Gaga makes a guest star appearance as a teacher in Part 2.
"Wednesday" has already been renewed for a third season, with Gough and Millar in the writers' room "cooking that up" and ready to go beyond.
"We have goalposts for other things. There could be spinoffs, there could be other iterations of the show," Millar said. "It's such a big world. We are excited to explore it as much as we can."
"Wednesday" Season Two will be released in two four-episode installments, with Part One dropping August 6 and Part Two out on September 3.
