World's Most Wanted Season 2: Renewal, Release Date & Details
Will Netflix move forward with World's Most Wanted season 2? If so, when will it release, and who will be featured? Focused on various international fugitives, the original batch of five episodes include direction from French filmmakers Paul Moreira and Martin Boudot, among others. The Netflix Original docuseries released on August 5, 2020.
World's Most Wanted season 1 premiered just weeks after the popular Unsolved Mysteries reboot. The true crime series investigates the head of the Sinaloa Cartel (Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada), a primary financer of the Rwandan genocide (Félicien Kabuga), a modern-day female terrorist (Samantha Lewthwaite), the most powerful Russian mob boss (Semion Mogilevich), and the "boss of all bosses" in Italian organized crime (Matteo Messina Denaro).
So far, only one of the World's Most Wanted subjects are in custody. As shown in the Netflix docuseries, Kabuga was arrested in May 2020 after 26 years on the run. The rest of the fugitives are known for staying out of the spotlight for obvious reasons, so it's improbable that Netflix streamers will crack the cases. Still, the true crime series will undoubtedly educate viewers about the collective subjects' organizational strategies, and which of their colleagues are the most likely to give up information to authorities.
Netflix hasn't officially ordered season 2 for World's Most Wanted. The streaming service will most likely assess viewing numbers for several weeks to gauge the popularity amongst locked-down audiences, and to determine where the series resonates the most. Since Netflix true crime series typically become pop culture events, it's safe to assume that new investigations have already been planned. Expect Netflix to announce World's Most Wanted season 2 by the end of 2020.
If Netflix does move forward with World's Most Wanted season 2, the streaming service will probably aim for a one-season-per-year release structure. That model would allow Netflix to capitalize upon cultural momentum, and also show viewers that showrunners are truly invested in capturing international baddies. So, expect World's Most Wanted season 2 to release in August 2021 with at least five new episodes.
Given the premise for World's Most Wanted, Netflix presumably won't offer any information about new subjects until the investigations have wrapped. All new episodes will likely be focused on a new group of fugitives.
For Netflix, it may be worth expanding on the original cases with secondary investigations. More pressure could be applied to a network of individuals who are linked to World's Most Wanted season 1 subjects, which could lead to stronger tips. The 2020 Netflix docuseries Fear City is focused on that concept, as it's all about New York City investigators who used the RICO Act to focus on underworld hierarchies rather than individuals criminals. However, World's Most Wanted season 2 will probably take place in different locations, and focus on a new group of fugitives.