‘School Spirits’ Season 2: Everything You Need to Know About the Cast, Plot, Potential Release Date & More

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As a Netflix user, I rarely see a show stay in the streamer’s top ten series list longer than a few weeks, let alone a few months. And yet, the Paramount+ Original series School Spirits, which premiered on the streaming platform in March 2023 and debuted on Netflix in November 2023, was able to accomplish such a feat. Although the series never claimed the number one spot, according to Forbes, School Spirits remained on the list for three months, charting at number nine on January 1, 2024. So, what makes this show a must-watch for so many Netflix viewers?

For one, School Spirits has a very compelling premise. Set in a fictional town in Wisconsin, the show (which is also being turned into a graphic novel) follows a teenage girl named Maddie, played by Cobra Kai star Peyton List, who wakes up in the afterlife at her high school. But she can’t remember how she got there. With the help of her best friend Simon (Kristian Ventura) and other teens trapped in high school/purgatory, they try to piece together what happened to her.

The series wasn’t just popular with viewers—it also received good reviews from critics. Per Rotten Tomatoes, School Spirits received an 83 percent rating from reviewers (with an audience score of 89 percent). On IMDb, the show received a 7.6-star rating out of 10. With the rave reviews and high viewership, it seemed like a no-brainer for Paramount+ to renew School Spirits for a second season; and that’s exactly what they did. Now that season two is on the way, fans are hoping to get some answers following that massive cliffhanger in the season one finale. So, what’s next for Maddie? Will she ever escape the afterlife and leave Split River High School? I'm dying to know.

Keep reading to learn more about School Spirits season two, including plot, cast, possible release date and more.

1. When Was School Spirits Season 2 Confirmed?

Paramount+

Paramount+ announced that School Spirits was renewed for season two in June 2023, just two months after the season one premiere. Similar to Netflix, the series was one of the top teen dramas on Paramount+.

2. What Is the Plot for School Spirits Season 2?

*Warning: Major spoilers ahead* 

While the cast and crew have remained pretty tight-lipped about the storyline for School Spirits season two, I'm confident that the upcoming installment will focus on that *major* cliffhanger at the end of season one. In the season one finale, audiences find out what really happened to Maddie in the basement of her high school. Ultimately, Maddie learns her body is being possessed by a spirit named Janet. And when people start to learn that Maddie is “alive,” Janet (controlling Maddie’s body) decides to skip town. This explains why Maddie couldn’t remember anything leading up to her supposed “death” when she mysteriously wakes up in the afterlife.

Meanwhile, the second season could also answer more of viewers’ burning questions, from Janet and Mr. Martin’s unexplained relationship to why Split River High students Rhonda, Charley and Wally haven’t been able to cross over after so many years. Either way, I'll be seated.

3. Who Is the Cast for School Spirits Season 2?

Justine Yeung/Paramount +

I anticipate the main cast from season one will return for School Spirits season two, which includes:

• Peyton List as Maddie

• Kristian Flores as Simon

• Milo Manheim as Wally

• Sarah Yarkin as Rhonda

• Josh Zuckerman as Mr. Martin

• Nick Pugliese as Charley

• Spencer MacPherson as Xavier

• Kiara Pichardo as Nicole

• Rainbow Wedell as Claire

I'm itching to know if they'll end up casting an actual person as Janet or if she'll continue to be played by Peyton List. So far, no updates on that front. I'll report back if I hear anything.

4. Has Filming for School Spirits Season 2 Started Yet?

I'm happy to confirm that production for season two has officially begun! Actor Milo Manheim, who plays our favorite lovable '80s jock, Wally, recently posted on Instagram that filming for the new season was in full swing with a caption that reads: "SCHOOL SPIRITS SEASON 2 HAS BEGUN !!" The announcement was accompanied by a photo of the cast all together out of costume. Those in the photo included actors who play Maddie, Simon, Wally, Rhonda, Mr. Martin, Charley, Xavier, Nicole and Claire.

Personally, I'm thrilled to hear that the full cast is back to roaming the ghostly halls, especially considering the major delays and setbacks to filming due to the writers’ and actors’ strike in 2023.

5. What Is the Release Date for School Spirits Season 2?

As of right now, Paramount+ hasn’t confirmed a release date for School Spirits season two. Though because production just started this month, it's likely we won't see Maddie & Co. for a little while. According to an article from 9Meters, "Season 2 is confirmed to premiere no earlier than early 2025."

6. Well, Is There a Trailer?

Not at the moment. But when there is one, you’ll be the first to know.

7. Some of the Most Interesting Fan Theories I've Come Across

*Warning: More major spoilers ahead*

Reddit theory from /BubblyCantaloupe5672:

My theory is that Mr. Martin and Janet were trying to recreate Janet's death to help her cross over and Janet accidentally possessed Maddie in the process. No malice, just two people trying to figure out ghost rules.

Reddit theory from /juhesihcaa:

I don't think they (Mr. Martin and Janet) were conspiring. I think Janet was just fed up with being a ghost for almost 70 years. I imagine each of the ghosts get fed up from time to time and it happened to coincide with Maddie being so broken from her mother's choices that it left her vulnerable. Janet ran out of the room and straight into Maddie's body and in the process gave us Schrodinger's Maddie.

Reddit theory from /LadyMRedd:

I don’t think he’s (Mr. Martin) as evil as people think. I think he’s an imperfect person who’s trying his best to help people and making mistakes along the way.

I think that there’s a lot we’re going to learn about him and Janet next season. My theory is that Janet is pulling a lot of the strings that have been attributed to him all along. I think that she was responsible for the fire that killed them, either intentionally or accidentally. I think she likely is disturbed and he died trying to prevent her from doing greater harm. And then after death she’s been obsessed with making contact/coming back and he’s been trying to protect the school, just like he died trying to do.

Reddit theory from /TrevorTempleton:

Gotta admit, I’m a bit suspicious of Rhonda, too. Which I hate because I really love her character.

But it’s possible that she could be lying. After all, she tells Maddie when she talks about what happened with her guidance counselor that “nobody’s who you think they are, Cherry Pop.” That could include Rhonda herself.

When she finds Wally and Charlie in the bunker looking at the stuff there, she admits knowing about it and shows them the barrel with the football, letter to Emilio, and her own acceptance letter from Berkeley. But what if she is the one who is keeping all that stuff for some purpose of her own? We have seen so many red herrings in the show already that maybe it’s possible Mr. Martin is a red herring, too?

Rhonda might pretend not to be interested in the whole ghost therapy thing, but she is in that group right from the start. She usually sits right next to Mr. Martin, too. And she was the last one to touch the bunker door before it locked in the finale and mysteriously refused to reset. Does she have some sort of power that the others lack? She has been there longer than anyone except Mr. Martin and Janet, and on the ghosts’ field day, she’s the one who had a trail of fire following her.

8. Will School Spirits Season 2 Premiere on Netflix?

Colin Bentley/Paramount+

I don’t know for sure. Since School Spirits is a Paramount+ Original series and the first season debuted on the platform, I'm confident that the second season will debut there as well with the potential to stream on Netflix in succession. School Spirits season one is streaming right now on Netflix and Paramount+.

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