David E. Kelleyoriginally soldPresumed Innocentto AppleTV+ as a miniseries. Of course, after theJake Gyllenhaal-fronted series became awell-reviewedratings success for the streamer, it wasrenewed for a second season. But fans of the show — which is based on a novel of the same name by Scott Turow (that was also adapted intoa Harrison Ford moviein the ’80s) — were, understandably, surprised. After all, the first season saw the conclusion of events. Is there more to Rusty Sabich (Gyllenhaal)’s story? If there is (and there is! More on that later), that’s not the story Kelley plans on telling.
In a new interview withDeadline, the prolific television creator discussed his plans for a second season and how he decided to turn his miniseries into an anthology series, featuring new stories centering around themes presented in Season 1. And while Turow has other books that expand Rusty and other characters fromPresumed Innocent’s universe, Kelley decided, ultimately, to go in a different direction.
At Least One Actor Isn’t Returning for Presumed Innocent Season 2
Presumed Innocent was recently renewed for a second season, but one actor has no plans to return.
Explaining that “that the genesis of” the expansion of the series was Apple’s idea, with them asking, “‘Have we got another one in us?'” Kelley went on to add that “we didn’t, for these characters, but the themes ofPresumed Innocent, the psychological thriller, the elements of infidelity and betrayal, that’s timeless. So we thought maybe there’s other IP that we can mine the same terrain, so people can feel they’re coming to the same series, but with different storytellers. We thought, if we find the right material, we will do it, and if we don’t, we won’t.”
As for the focus for Season 2 ofPresumed Innocent? Kelley said that “We chose [Jo Murray’s]Dissection of a Murderfor year two. But in success, it could go on beyond that.”
When asked if he and Apple considered revisiting the original characters, either in future seasons or for the series arc as a whole, Kelley confirmed that “We did talk about that,” but that, ultimately, he felt, “it would feel like a subset of the whole. … So we thought better to start with a new blank page.” A big factor on that front also seems to be the availability of star Jake Gyllenhaal, whom Kelley insinuated would not be on the show, despite the way the first season ended —spoiler alert:Jake Gyllenhaal does not die in the end.
Curious to know more? Keep reading the section below to read up on the major changes Kelley made to the novel’s ending!
Please note: there are major spoilers for the novel and the series in the paragraphs below!
If you’re a fan of Turow’s novel or the aforementioned Ford movie, then you might have noticed that the murderer revealed at the end ofPresumed Innocentthe series was not the same as its predecessors. You see, in the source material, Sabich is accused of killing Carolyn Polhemus (Renate Reinsve), another prosecutor with whom he had an affair. And though the evidence against him was damning, Turow’s novel’s murderer turns out to be none other than his wife, Barbara (played in 2024 by Ruth Negga), in a bit of a jealous rage.
However, in Kelley’s iteration, it is not Barbara but the couple’s teen daughter, Jaden, who is revealed to be the murderer. Gyllenhaal is certainly criminally involved — he stages her body to look like that of another unsolved case to keep suspicion off of his family — though, so don’t feel too terrible for him. Besides, the revelation at the end of the season that Carolyn was pregnant certainly doesn’t remove any lingering questions the audience might have about Rusty, either.
