Season 2 of Roland Emmerich’s sword-and-sandals drama, Those About to Die, could be going back in time (even further than Season 1), as the director has based his plans for the series on Francis Ford Coppola’s seminal The Godfather trilogy. Released on Peacock and Prime Video earlier this year, No Time to Die explores the dirty underbelly of Rome, as members of the four factions vie for control over the newly built Colosseum, all while the city faces ongoing food shortages and riots. Season 1 received decent reviews from audiences, although it has yet to be officially renewed for a second season.
While the official confirmation has yet to come, Roland Emmerich (who directed half of season 1 and acted as showrunner), is already planning ahead for the second season, and has teased that the historical timeline is going to get disjointed. “We hope to do a little bit what Godfather II did,” the director told The Hollywood Reporter. The follow-up to Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece (which some argue is better than the first movie), The Godfather Part II, splits its screen time between two different stories. The present shows Michael Corleone as the head of the family, while the past shows flashbacks of Vito Corleone’s rise to power.
Speaking to Collider earlier this year, Emmerich made the same point, explaining that Season 2 will give voice to Domitian’s backstory. “Godfather 1 was this perfect movie, and they said, “What should we do?” They went into the past,” said Emmerich. The director continued:
“You show how all this came to be, that Domitian became emperor, and that gets his son in trouble because he’s related to him. They go after him and he survives. Then, on the other hand, tell the story of all these characters and what happens further. I don’t want to give that away.”
Will Those About to Die Be Renewed?
Fans of Emmerich’s hyper-violent take on Ancient Rome, which showcases the brutality of the chariot races and the blood sport of the gladiatorial arena, are still waiting tentatively for updates on a second season. So far, there have been no hints from representatives of Peacock or Prime Video about Those About to Die getting a second season.
What’s likely to be holding the studio back is the mixed reviews the series received upon its debut this July. Those About to Die sits at 49% on Rotten Tomatoes, while the audience score is quite higher at 64%. It may be inaccurate to call Those About to Die an outright “success” with audiences, but it did capture their attention span. The series shot to the top of Peacock and Prime Video’s respective charts upon release. According to data from Reelgood, Those About to Die was the sixth most streamed show in the week beginning July 18. It beat out Cobra Kai, Sunny, and Lady in the Lake for viewing figures, but fell short of major TV players like The Acolyte, House of the Dragon, The Bear, and The Boys. Will Those About to Die ever be renewed for Season 2? At the moment, it’s anyone’s guess.
Those About to Die
is streaming on Peacock.