Disney+ and Hulu scored an unquestionable hit when, in November 2023, it debuted the Australian series The Artful Dodger to great acclaim. With an impressive 92% rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, and given the show is the biggest Disney+ hit to ever hail from Australia, a second season felt almost inevitable—even in these trying television times. Well, finally, after almost a year, the greenlight has officially been given for everyone’s favorite pickpocket to return for Season 2.
Filming is set to begin in 2025 in Sydney’s Callan Park, with the likes of David Thewlis’s Fagin, Maia Mitchell‘s Lady Belle Fox, and Thomas Brodie-Sangster‘s titular Dodger all set to return alongside an ensemble cast of Australian and New Zealand performers. According to Deadline, filming will be picking up where the “heart’s desires of Dodger, Fagin and Lady Belle left off, promising more cunning thievery, snappy humor, life-and-death surgeries, and romance with a twist.” Following an exciting first outing full of twists and turns, a second promises to deliver historical drama and enticing mystery aplenty. In a statement, Kylie Watson-Wheeler, the Walt Disney Company Australia and New Zealand Senior Vice President and Managing Director, said:
“The return of our Australian-born Disney+ Original scripted drama, complete with all-star cast and a brilliant crew, is a testament to the series’ high calibre of production and its local and international audience success. We’re delighted this high-stakes romantic drama of heists, comedy, and beautifully complicated life and love, will thrill and entertain again.”
David Thewlis’s Fagin is Simply Exceptional
For those yet to indulge in the exciting highs and lows of The Artful Dodger, just experiencing Thewlis‘s role as Fagin should be encouragement enough. Alongside a particularly excellent cast, including one of Brodie-Sangster’s best performances, Thewlis—rather aptly—steals the show with a magnificent turn that teeters on the edge of both good and evil. The return of Thewlis for a second season will likely be the specific news many were waiting for, especially considering how highly praised he was by both the public and critics alike. One such critic to applaud Thewlis‘s Fagin was Collider‘s Maggie Lovitt, who said in her review of Season 1:
“Thewlis’ greatest tool in his villainous performances has always been his ability to lure audiences into a false sense of security. He draws you in with his affable appeal , which always makes his turn to malice that much more fascinating to watch. With Fagin, he doles out the congeniality and leans into the fragility of the character, while never fully convincing the audience that this isn’t still the same man who raised up the villainous Bill Sikes. The way Thewlis toes the line of Fagin’s morally dubious existence makes for a captivating performance, and he has met his match in the seasoned performance of Brodie-Sangster.”
The Artful Dodger Season 2 has been officially greenlit by Disney+ and Hulu. Watch Season 1 on Hulu or Disney+ now.
via Collider