After an exciting and successful six-episodes, The Day of the Jackal ended its first season on a high note. No one saw the surprising season finale twist coming (I didn’t!), but the ending definitely laid the groundwork for an even more exciting second season of the spy thriller. Thankfully, Peacock and Sky gave the series a quick renewal for season 2 after only a few weeks into season 1.

THE DAY OF THE JACKAL -- Episode 104 -- Pictured: Eddie Redmayne as The Jackal

Between its excellent acting and storytelling and the breakaway viewership success, The Day of the Jackal was easily one of the best Peacock shows of 2024, and now that the first season is already in the books, all of us fans will be looking ahead to what’s next. More specifically, we understandably want to know when they can see the Jackal back in action in season 2.

Well, there’s some good and bad news on that front. While The Day of the Jackal season 2 has been confirmed and is on the way, considering the production and release timeline for the first season, we might be waiting a little longer than we’d prefer for new episodes. Based on the current information provided about season 1’s production, season 2 coming in 2025 doesn’t seem likely.

The Day of the Jackal season 2 might premiere in 2026

As of The Day of the Jackal season 1 finale on Dec. 12, Peacock and Sky haven’t made any announcement about when cameras begin rolling on season 2. Since the renewal came ahead of the season finale, there’s a chance writing can begin before the end of the year, or perhaps the season 2 writer’s room has already opened, which is a practice other streamers like Netflix have employed.

For the first season, filming began in June 2023 and continued in multiple countries throughout the year. It’s said filming wrapped in November 2023, and as we know, the season ultimately wasn’t released until November 2024. From wrap to release, a full year elapsed, which isn’t particularly promising for the season 2 release schedule. I hope that doesn’t happen again, but it probably will at this rate.

THE DAY OF THE JACKAL -- Episode 105 -- Pictured: Eddie Redmayne as The Jackal THE DAY OF THE JACKAL — Episode 105 — Pictured: Eddie Redmayne as The Jackal | (Photo by: Marcell Piti/Carnival Film & Television Limited)

The Day of the Jackal season 2 could very well begin filming sometime in the beginning of 2025, either in the first or second quarter of the year, but there’s still at least five months of production and an unspecified amount of time for post-production after that. However you slice it, the current projections point to a season 2 release in 2026. That’s not the update fans want, but it’s the reality.

Add in the busy schedule of an in-demand actor like Eddie Redmayne and the fact that season 2 probably won’t come out until 2026 makes even more sense. The Academy Award winner will next star in Panic Carefully alongside Julia Roberts, Elizabeth Olsen, and Bryan Tyree Henry. According to Deadline, the Sam Esmail-directed film begins production in January 2025.

Hopefully, we won’t be waiting too long for both updates on The Day of the Jackal season 2 and its eventual release. The series has been a hit in the ratings, earned critical acclaim, and is already picking up awards love from the Golden Globes and Critic’s Choice Awards. Stay tuned for more news on the series, and we’ll share all of the latest on the new fan-favorite!