‘School Spirits’ Season 2: See the New Trailer, Plus Deets on the Cast, Plot, Potential Release Date & More

As a Netflix user, I rarely see a show stay in the streamer’s top ten series list longer than a few weeks, let alone a few months. And yet, the Paramount+ Original series School Spirits, which premiered on the streaming platform in March 2023 and debuted on Netflix in November 2023, was able to accomplish such a feat. Although the series never claimed the number one spot, according to Forbes, School Spirits remained on the list for three months, charting at number nine on January 1, 2024. So, what makes this show a must-watch for so many Netflix viewers?

For one, School Spirits has a very compelling premise. Set in a fictional town in Wisconsin, the show (which is also being turned into a graphic novel) follows a teenage girl named Maddie, played by Cobra Kai star Peyton List, who wakes up in the afterlife at her high school. But she can’t remember how she got there. With the help of her best friend Simon (Kristian Ventura) and other teens trapped in high school/purgatory, they try to piece together what happened to her. 

The series wasn’t just popular with viewers—it also received good reviews from critics. Per Rotten Tomatoes, School Spirits received an 83 percent rating from reviewers (with an audience score of 89 percent). On IMDb, the show received a 7.6-star rating out of 10. With the rave reviews and high viewership, it seemed like a no-brainer for Paramount+ to renew School Spirits for a second season; and that’s exactly what they did. Now that season two is on the way—and now that we have a brand-new trailer—fans are hoping to get some answers following that massive cliffhanger in the season one finale. So, what’s next for Maddie? Will she ever escape the afterlife and leave Split River High School? I'm dying to know.

Keep reading to see the latest trailer and learn more about School Spirits season two, including plot, cast, possible release date and more. 

*Warning: Major spoilers ahead* 

While the cast and crew have remained pretty tight-lipped about the storyline for School Spirits season two, I'm confident that the upcoming installment will focus on that *major* cliffhanger at the end of season one. In the season one finale, audiences find out what really happened to Maddie in the basement of her high school. Ultimately, Maddie learns her body is being possessed by a spirit named Janet. And when people start to learn that Maddie is “alive,” Janet (controlling Maddie’s body) decides to skip town. This explains why Maddie couldn’t remember anything leading up to her supposed “death” when she mysteriously wakes up in the afterlife.

Meanwhile, the second season could also answer more of viewers’ burning questions, from Janet and Mr. Martin’s unexplained relationship to why Split River High students Rhonda, Charley and Wally haven’t been able to cross over after so many years. Either way, I'll be seated.

I'm happy to confirm that production for season two has officially begun! Actor Milo Manheim, who plays our favorite lovable '80s jock, Wally, recently posted on Instagram that filming for the new season was in full swing with a caption that reads: "SCHOOL SPIRITS SEASON 2 HAS BEGUN !!" The announcement was accompanied by a photo of the cast all together out of costume. Those in the photo included actors who play Maddie, Simon, Wally, Rhonda, Mr. Martin, Charley, Xavier, Nicole and Claire.

Personally, I'm thrilled to hear that the full cast is back to roaming the ghostly halls, especially considering the major delays and setbacks to filming due to the writers’ and actors’ strike in 2023.

As of right now, Paramount+ hasn’t confirmed a specific release date for School Spirits season two, but it did say the new season will arrive in 2025.

There sure is. At New York Comic-Con 2024, Paramount+ unveiled the latest footage for School Spirits season two.

In addition to the trailer above, the streamer posted the comment, "Afterlives are complicated. New season of School Spirits streaming soon on Paramount+."