Courtesy of FOX
Exec producer Chad Hodge will not return for the summer drama's sophomore run.
Fox is returning to Wayward Pines.
The network on Wednesday handed out a second-season renewal for the limited series originally executive produced by M. Night Shyamalan and Chad Hodge. Hodge, who developed the property based on Blake Crouch's book and served as showrunner, will not return for season two. Mark Friedman (Believe, The Forgotten) will take over as showrunner.
The drama will be back for a second season of 10 episodes in summer 2016 and will see the series pick up after the events of the season-one finale, when a new arrival in the mysterious town arrives to find himself in the middle of a rebellion as the residents battle over how to preserve the endangered human race.
“Wayward Pines was a huge hit for us this past summer," Fox Broadcasting Entertainment president David Madden said Wednesday in a statement. "We were absolutely blown away by the mysterious and surprising world that Night and his team created, and the twisting-and-turning storytelling that drew viewers in from day one. Season two is going to take the suspense, the vision of the future and the haunting character drama to whole new levels, and we can’t wait for our fans to continue that ride next year.”
Wayward ranked as the No. 1 broadcast scripted series among adults 18-49 last summer, averaging a 2.2/8 in the key demo. The thriller was a strong performer when factoring in DVR returns, nearly doubling its demo haul with three days of delayed viewing and setting a record for seven-day lifts during the summer.
The show originally starred Matt Dillon, Toby Jones, Carla Gugino, Melissa Leo and Terrence Howard. It's unclear which of the cast will return for season two, though casting is now underway. The second run of Wayward Pines will now be executive produced by 20th Century Fox Television; season one was produced by cable sibling FX Productions and 20th TV.
Exec producers include Donald De Line (Green Lantern), Ashwin Rajan (Devil), Friedman, Crouch and Shyamalan.
"We did make changes to exactly what happens at the end of the show, but it was always designed to be this one season, 10 episodes," Hodge told THR at the conclusion of season one. "We didn’t change anything about the ending to leave room for a season two. It all wraps up."
The decision to return to Wayward comes as broadcast networks continue to focus on original scripted programming in the summer as year-round programming becomes the norm.
Hodge, meanwhile, is readying TNT drama pilot Good Behavior — based on Crouch's book — with Michelle Dockery attached to star.
Wayward Pines
