Apple TV+ is crushing it in the suspense-filled thriller series department. Currently, Jake Gyllenhaal is under the legal microscope in Presumed Innocent. Rebecca Ferguson recently went back underground for more of Graham Yost’s Silo adaptation of the Hugh Howey books. And Idris Elba intended to make a limited series that feels like a panic attack (only in an airplane instead of The Bear‘s kitchen), but the people wanted more, so he’s making a second season and stepping back into the shoes of a ground-level negotiator whose skills come in handy in the not-so-friendly skies.
What can we expect from more Hijack? Let’s talk it out.
Plot
As viewers will recall, Hijack is a seven-hour series that rolls out in real-time mode during a flight out of Dubai. Elba portrays Sam Nelson, an experienced negotiator at ground level who finds himself putting those skills to the test when assailants take over the plane. A few unbelievable twists and plot holes — including plane wifi that worked well (!), the bear-jacking of the financial market being a believable motive, and Sam reentering the plane for a final clash with a villain — required suspended belief occurred in this sleeper series that had a admittedly silly ending. Yet overall, the story felt high-octane and fist-bumping enough that the show became an adrenaline-filled, word-of-mouth success.
Also, let’s face it: nobody really goes to popcorn movies expecting airtight logic, and this was a show that went well with plenty of microwaved popcorn in a home theater. Additionally, Sam (Idris Elba, actually) had swagger that the audience could not resist. All ingredients for the recipe of streaming success.
Now, the setting of second season could end up being very different because Elba is not only the leading man but also an executive producer on this series, and he declared, according to Variety, “I just don’t want to put him on another hijack.” Hopefully, this won’t make like Speed 2 and choose a cruise ship as the method of transportation.
Apple TV+ is staying quiet on plot specifics, but in a press release, Elba promised that the next trip would be worth the price of admission:
“I was floored by the overwhelming audience response after season one. It’s top secret what new situation unfolds for Sam Nelson but I can assure you we will bring the high octane back!”.
You heard him, and Idris Elba wouldn’t steer us wrong.
Cast
Idris Elba will be back as Sam Nelson. At present, we don’t know whether Archie Punjabi will reprise her counterterrorism officer character or if Max Beesley will provide a ground-level investigative perspective again. The nature of this story means that Elba could be otherwise accompanied by a whole new set of actors and characters, but Variety has reported some new names including Clare-Hope Ashitey, Karima McAdams, and Christian Näthe.
Release Date
Apple TV+ hasn’t announced a release date yet, but we would bet on early 2025.
Trailer
The streaming service did unveil a look at the close quarters involved with shooting on a real plane. Claustrophobia City.