Presumed innocent season two may not premiere until mid-2026, following the announcement of source material for the legal thriller sequel. Presumed innocent the first season ended where Scott Turow’s novel of the same name ended, albeit with a different ending that differed from the source material. While the first season was airing, Apple TV+ renewed the show for a second season, although it was unclear what the path for the show’s future would be. However, it was indicated that Rusty Sabich (Jake Gyllenhaal) would no longer be the main character.
Now, Deadline confirmed that Presumed innocent the second season will be based on the next book Dissection of a murderJo Murray’s debut novel. The book will be published in spring 2026, and its distant date suggests that the legal thriller’s second season will only premiere after the book is released. This means the show may not return until mid-2026although it could take longer depending on how much of the adaptation is worked on before the book hits the shelves.
What Presumed Innocent’s Possible Mid-2026 Release Window Means for Season 2
Extended program break means more time for development
Dissection of a murderand, by extension, Presumed innocent 2nd season, follows Leila Reynolds, a defense attorney who took on her first murder case. However, as the case deepens, complicated by the fact that her husband is the prosecutor, she ends up in a situation that becomes more personal than she is prepared to face. The second season is expected to draw inspiration from the novel, leaving it unclear how much of the book’s exact events will translate to the series. Some liberties can be taken, just like in the first season.
The Apple TV+ show may also bring back some characters from Season 1 for cameos in Season 2, creating a shared universe through the Presumed innocent cast. Given that Gyllenhaal and Turow will remain executive producersalongside JJ Abrams and David E. Kelley, there’s a chance that the adaptation of Murray’s book will take some liberties to feature familiar faces. With plenty of time to develop the new season overall, it seems like the extended break will be beneficial for the series as it learns to evolve into an anthology.
Our opinion on the long wait for the second season of Presumed Innocent
It’s a unique direction that intrigues us
This won’t be the first time an anthology series has used an unreleased book as inspiration for its series, with American Horror Story: Delicate being an adaptation of Danielle Valentine’s Delicate Conditionwhich came out a month before the show. We’re interested to see what this means for Presumed innocentespecially considering how long it is until Murray’s novel is released. With so much time left for development, we’re hoping for an experience as polished as the first season managed to deliver.
Source: Deadline