With Netflix eagerly renewing theKeira Knightley-led spy seriesBlack Dovesnearly a month before its platform premiere in December 2024, it’s time to look ahead to Season 2. The popular espionage series revolves around a covert spy-for-hire company, Black Doves, which wields leverage over compromised corporate and political figures by exposing their corrupt secrets. One such spy is Helen Webb (Knightley), whose secret identity is threatened to be exposed following the death of her ex-lover.
As details pour in regardingBlack DovesSeason 2, fans will learn when and where the show will film for the upcoming season,which cast members are poised to return, and how the story inevitably heads for more political intrigue when Helen and her family enter Downing Street. While it may be some time until the show returns, all the tidbits and factoids regardingBlack DovesSeason 2 known so far should keep anticipation high.
Black Doves
‘Black Doves’ Season 2 Premise
Several plot points inBlack Doves' Season 1 finale set up Season 2’s story. For one,Wallace is in line to become the UK’s next Prime Minister following PM Eaves' legal fall. With Wallace’s rise to even more power, Helen and her family will gain access to Number 10 Downing Street and expand their sociopolitical influence.
To wit,Jason managed to clear Helen’s namewith MI5 before his death, giving her intimate access to the most sensitive government files.With more access to the intelligence community, Helen will uncover vast conspiratorial webs connecting to the highest levels of the state in Season 2. This both empowers and endangers Helen and her family, including her young children, Jacqueline (Charlotte Rice-Foley), and Oli (Taylor Sullivan). The stakes will increase significantly as Helen draws more assignments while keeping her family intact.
Secondly, Helen finally confesses her status as a Black Dove to Wallace in the Season 1 finale. The presumptive successor to PM Eaves knows his wife is a covert spy, which will complicate their relationship when the show returns. Adding to the intrigue is the discovery that Marie (Molly Chesworth), the Webb family caretaker, is a secret Black Dove planted by Reed to keep tabs on Helen.While Helen is unaware that Marie is a spy at first, she’ll eventually discover the ruse in Season 2, which will cause an inevitable fallout with Reed.
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Another major development to be explored is Sam’s status. At last glance, Sam murdered Alex and Trent Clark after they kidnapped Kai-Ming, Eleanor, and Williams. The season ends with Sam accepting a job with Hector Newman (Luther Ford), a target he was assigned to kill when Hector was a boy, but couldn’t bring himself to do it. While their mission has not been stated, the implication is thatSam will work with Hector’s crime syndicate.
Lastly,Black DovesSeason 1 endedwith a Christmas party at the Webb residence. Sam meets Wallace and the Webb children for the first time, setting up a complex relationship ahead. Whether Sam remains loyal to Helen or Hector will be fascinating to see play out, with Wallace’s newfound position of power sure to add intrigue to the mix.
‘Black Doves’ Season 2 Casting, Filming & Release Date
Although Netflix announced the Season 2 renewal ofBlack Dovesin November 2024, the streamer recently stated thatSeason 2 will begin filming in July 2025. Followingexcellent performances by Ben Whishawand Keira Knightley, the leading actors are expected to return to reprise their roles as Helen and Sam, respectively.
Given the summer filming slate,Black DovesSeason 2 will not take place during Christmastime like Season 1. CreatorJoe Barton confirmed as much, tellingTHR:
“To have something ready for next Christmas would be impossible. Then you’d be in a situation where we’d have to make people wait two years for the Christmas after that, which should just be too long. So I think inevitably it’s not going to be a Christmas show. But it’ll be interesting to see them out of their winter coats.”
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Despite plans to film Season 2 in mid-2025,Black Dovesis expected to unveil Season 2 sometime in 2026. While additional casting is unclear, Barton expects to give Helen and Sam a more formidable villain in Season 2, stating:
“One of the things I felt watching the first series was that Sam and Helen, they don’t really have a ‘Moriarty.’ They don’t have the big bad. One of the things I think would be really fun to do is actually to give them a proper onscreen antagonist, a proper villain for them to have to deal with. So that’s big on my list of things for series 2.”
By evokingSherlock Holmes’Moriarty, Barton implies that he wants to pit a sophisticated, highly intelligent foe to face off with Helen whenBlack Dovesreturns in 2026.
