Cast, story and everything we know

Apple TV+'s sunny adaptation of Bad Monkey was a surprise hit in late 2024, and now the show has been renewed for a second season. Based on the novel of the same name by Carl Hiaasen, Bad Monkey follows a disgraced ex-cop named Andrew (Vince Vaughn), whose new career as a health inspector puts him on the trail of a horrific mystery. Capturing Hiaasen's style excellently, Bad Monkey delves into deep themes like corruption and environmentalism while showcasing the author's dark sense of humor on the wild and wacky shores of South Florida.

Despite his four decades as a best-selling novelist, Hiaasen's works are an untapped well that Hollywood has only reached a few times over the years. Bad Monkey is the first project to pursue taste and adapt one of his signature hilarious mysteries on a grand scale. The end of Bad Monkey may have made some changes to the novel, but it also set the stage for an exciting sequel. It may have taken a while for the streamer to make a decision about a sophomore exit, but it has now been confirmed that Bad Monkey will return for season 2.

Bad Monkey season 2 is confirmed

Apple TV+ renews the Quirky Mystery series

While viewers were left in limbo for several months as Apple TV+ mulled its options regarding a second season, the streamer ended up renewing Bad Monkey in December 2024. The decision was an obvious one considering his success, but a sophomore exit wasn't a guarantee either. Fortunately, the Carl Hiaasen series will return for more episodes soon, although there are many details that have not been revealed. Season 2 could adapt the sequel novel, Razor Girl, but this has not been confirmed either.

Ted LassoBill Lawrence helped create Bad Monkey for Apple TV+ and he is in charge of overseeing the second season as well. The Season 2 renewal continues the excellent working relationship between Lawrence and the streamer, and Bad Monkey could become a long-running hit with the TV maven at the helm. Lawrence released a statement about the show's renewal and spoke excitedly about Hiaasen and the opportunity to bring the works of “an idol“to life once again.

Read Lawrence's comments here:

“I hope people know that Carl Hiaasen is an idol of mine and an inspiration to me as a writer. Continuing to tell your story with Vince Vaughn and this great cast, at least the characters who are still alive, is very exciting. I’m so grateful to our partners Apple TV+ and Warner Bros, as well as the entire team who help bring this show to life.”

Bad Monkey Season 2 Cast Details

Yancy is back on the case

The star-studded cast Bad Monkey was one of their strongest assets, but not everyone made it out of the first season alive. As such, the second year's cast will likely involve a number of new cast members, with some characters from the first being carried over. Vince Vaughn is already confirmed to return as detective-turned-health inspector Andrew Yancy, and the sarcastic detective is quintessential Hiaasen. Any other returns are up in the air at this point, though it's assumed some, like Natalie Martinez's Rosa, will be back alongside Vaughn.

The cast of Bad Monkey season 2 will likely include:

Actor	Bad Monkey Paper
Vincent Vaughn	André Yancy
Natalia Martinez	Peasant Rose
Michelle Monaghan	Bonnie Witt
Ronald Peet	Neville Stafford
João Ortiz	Rogério Burton
Todd Allen Durkin	Sheriff Summers
David St.	Carter “Egg” Ecclestone

Bad Monkey Season 2 Story Details

Season 2 Could Adapt Carl Hiaasen's 'Razor Girl'

Although nothing about the history of Bad Monkey the 2nd season has yet to be confirmed, It stands to reason that it will adapt Carl Hiaasen's 2016 novel Razor Girl. The book is a continuation of Bad Monkey to the extent that it puts Yancy at the center of the story once again. In fact, Hiaasen doesn't write direct sequels; instead, it reuses its protagonists and supporting characters across different stories as they stumble upon some new mystery. With the content of the novel of the same name already exhausted, Bad Monkey You'll need to come up with some new plot or go back to the source for inspiration.

Considering creator Bill Lawrence's affinity with Hiaasen and his books Razor Girl makes more sense. The book centers on the titular character, a mafia kidnapper who is tasked with kidnapping a wealthy beach developer. Unfortunately, Merry Mansfield (aka Razor Girl) kidnaps a reality TV star's talent manager. Without his coach, the star makes a series of offensive jokes that lead him to flee. When pieces of the star's beard find their way into a restaurant kitchen, health inspector Andrew Yancy is drawn into the case of the missing reality TV star.

Naturally, a new mystery will require a practically new cast, and the novel only recycles Yancy, Rosa and Sheriff Summers. As the show has already deviated from the source, There's no reason why any surviving characters from Season 1 can't appear in Season 2.. This gives the writers a chance to offer more growth to the recurring characters, something that is often lost in the books because of the fast-paced, tongue-in-cheek nature of the stories. Without considering, Bad Monkey season 2 has a lot to work with.