DARK MATTER Season 2 Trailer Teases an Even Bigger Multiverse Adventure as the Story Moves Beyond the Novel
One of the best sci-fi series to hit Apple TV+ in recent years is almost back, and this time nobody knows exactly where the story is headed.
The first season of Dark Matter did an amazing job adapting Blake Crouch's bestselling novel, delivering a smart, emotional, and mind-bending journey through the multiverse.
That's why it was such an exciting surprise when Apple TV+ renewed the series for a second season. The source material has already been fully adapted, which means everything from this point forward is brand-new territory.
That's also what makes this next chapter especially interesting. With Crouch returning as the show's creator, executive producer, showrunner, and writer, season two essentially feels like getting a sequel to the novel in television form.
It's an opportunity to continue Jason Dessen's story without anyone knowing exactly what twists are waiting around the next dimensional corner.
Apple TV+ unveiled the first trailer during its San Diego Comic-Con panel, and it looks like the stakes are getting much bigger.
Fans will remember that season one followed Jason Dessen, played once again by Joel Edgerton, after he was abducted by... himself. More specifically, he was kidnapped by an alternate version who had devoted his entire life to inventing the Box, a machine capable of traveling between realities.
Haunted by the choices he made, that alternate Jason decided to steal another version of his own life, trading places with the Jason whose quieter existence as a physics teacher included something far more valuable to him, a loving family with his wife Daniela, played by Jennifer Connelly.
Jason spent the season desperately trying to find his way back home while navigating an endless collection of alternate Chicagos, each shaped by different decisions and outcomes. Some worlds were beautiful, while others were complete nightmares.
Season two picks up after the Dessens finally seem to have found some peace, but it doesn't look like that calm is going to last very long.
The official synopsis reads: “Season two picks up with the Dessens as they settle into a quiet life in a world that finally seems safe until the unimaginable forces them to run once again.
“As Jason’s obsession with the Box deepens, Daniela’s (Connelly) growing paranoia pushes her to the brink, threatening to tear their fragile stability apart. Elsewhere, Amanda (Braga) and Ryan (Simpson) join forces in a desperate attempt to find their way home.
“With Blair (Brugel) determined to stop him, Leighton (Okeniyi) relentlessly chases his grand vision of creating a perfect world.”
Returning alongside Edgerton and Connelly are Oakes Fegley as Jason's son Charlie, Jimmi Simpson as Ryan, Alice Braga as Amanda, Dayo Okeniyi as Leighton, and Amanda Brugel as Blair.
The cast and creative team also appeared during Apple's San Diego Comic-Con panel to debut the trailer, giving fans their first real glimpse at what's next.
Apple also announced a new companion series, Dark Matter: The Official Podcast. According to the official description:
“Hosted by Dark Matter author and showrunner Blake Crouch and executive producer Jacquelyn Ben-Zekry, the podcast takes listeners deeper into the series with a robust roster of cast members, key creatives, and industry experts.
“Together, they explore the show’s biggest moments, the science behind the multiverse, the creative process and how the series expands beyond Crouch’s original novel.”
I really enjoyed the first season, and one of the biggest reasons I'm looking forward to this next chapter is because it isn't adapting existing material anymore.
With Crouch continuing to guide the series, this feels like a genuine continuation of his story instead of an adaptation, and that's a pretty exciting place for Dark Matter to be.
Dark Matter returns to Apple TV+ on August 28, with new episodes arriving weekly through October 30.