Hulu’s breakout sci-fi thriller Paradise is officially returning for a second season, and fans won’t have to wait long. The series, which became one of Hulu’s top-performing originals in 2025, will return on February 23, 2026, with a three-episode premiere, followed by weekly releases.
The news was confirmed by creator and executive producer Dan Fogelman (This Is Us) during a special CCXP 2025 panel in São Paulo, Brazil. The event also featured lead star Sterling K. Brown, returning as Special Agent Xavier Collins, and newcomer Shailene Woodley, whose role is set to shake up the world of Paradise.
Fogelman unveiled the first teaser and promotional art for Season 2 during the panel, hinting at an even bigger scale, new characters, and a more dangerous world beyond the bunker.
“Season 1 was about survival,” Fogelman told fans. “Season 2 is about what it means to live — and what we’re willing to sacrifice to stay human.”
The CCXP Teaser: New Dangers Beyond the Dome
The teaser footage shown at CCXP opens in the aftermath of a plane crash. Sterling K. Brown’s Xavier, bruised, bloodied, and more determined than ever, emerges from the wreckage into a ravaged, unfamiliar landscape.
The dome, which once protected humanity from a mysterious apocalypse, looms in the background. As Xavier begins his search for his missing wife, Teri, the teaser cuts between flashbacks to their life before the collapse and glimpses of new societies forming outside.
A chilling voiceover warns:
“The outside world didn’t die. It evolved.”
The clip confirms that Season 2 will delve deeper into the outside world and reveal the political and human cost of what happened inside the dome after Xavier’s disappearance.
Cast and Characters: Returning Faces and New Additions
Paradise Season 2 Cast and Characters
| Actor | Character | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sterling K. Brown | Xavier Collins | A special agent searching for his missing wife outside the dome |
| Shailene Woodley | TBA | A mysterious survivor with her own hidden agenda |
| Julianne Nicholson | Dr. Eleanor Price | Scientist leading the bunker’s research division |
| Enuka Okuma | President Maren Holt | The new leader of the bunker’s regime |
| Sarah Shahi | Teri Collins | Xavier’s missing wife |
| Nicole Brydon Bloom | Amelia Tran | Young cadet-turned-political aide |
| Krys Marshall | Captain Sloan | Head of security inside the bunker |
| Aliyah Mastin | Kira | Teenage survivor outside the dome |
| Percy Daggs IV | Eli | Tech specialist and rebel hacker |
| Charlie Evans | Jonah Wells | Bunker engineer with shifting loyalties |
| Guest Stars | James Marsden, Thomas Doherty, Jon Beavers | Appear in recurring flashbacks |
Fogelman confirmed that Shailene Woodley will join the cast in a major new role tied to the mysteries outside the dome. According to insiders, her character will test Xavier’s beliefs about what’s real and who can be trusted.
The Official Synopsis: Two Worlds Collide
The official Season 2 synopsis released by Hulu reads:
“An outside world is exposed in the aftermath of Season 1, while inside the bunker, a new regime emerges. Xavier begins the search for his wife, Teri, outside the bunker, forging new alliances and encountering potential threats.”
The show will alternate between two timelines one following Xavier’s perilous journey through the wasteland, and another chronicling the political power struggles inside the bunker.
This dual-narrative structure mirrors Lost’s signature use of flashbacks and parallel storytelling, giving audiences more insight into the characters’ pasts and the wider mythology of Paradise.
Sterling K. Brown Teases the “Collision” Between Two Worlds
Speaking at a press roundtable earlier this summer, Sterling K. Brown hinted that the upcoming season will stage a long-awaited convergence between the bunker survivors and the people outside.
“The outside of the bunker gets explored, as well as what continues to happen inside the bunker with Xavier’s absence,” Brown said. “There is a collision when the two worlds meet — like, what has life been like outside? How has life changed inside?”
He added with a grin,
“When those two worlds come into contact with one another, what kind of shamrocks and shenanigans can we get up to?”
Brown’s comments suggest Season 2 will explore how both groups evolved or devolved while separated by the protective dome.
Season 1 Recap: Mystery, Politics, and Survival
Paradise premiered on January 26, 2025, introducing audiences to a post-apocalyptic world where a mysterious global event forced humanity to take refuge inside a massive dome-like structure.
Inside, the Prodigy Corporation, a powerful private entity, controlled access, information, and survival. The show combined political intrigue with science fiction, following Special Agent Xavier Collins as he investigated corruption, rebellion, and secrets buried beneath the dome’s surface.
The season ended on a shocking cliffhanger: the dome’s protective shield failed, Xavier’s wife Teri went missing, and the survivors faced exposure to the toxic outside world.
Paradise Season 1 Reception Overview
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Rotten Tomatoes (Critics) | 86% “Certified Fresh” |
| Rotten Tomatoes (Audience) | 84% Approval |
| Emmy Nominations | Outstanding Drama Series, Best Actor (Sterling K. Brown), Production Design |
| Critical Consensus | “Teeming with heady concepts and themes, Paradise is an overstuffed but addictively ambitious reunion of Sterling K. Brown and creator Dan Fogelman.” |
The This Is Us reunion between Brown and Fogelman proved to be a major draw. The series combined emotional storytelling with puzzle-box mystery, earning comparisons to Lost, Manifest, and The Leftovers.
The “Lost” Connection: Why Paradise Strikes the Same Chord?
Much like Lost, Paradise thrives on tension between survival, morality, and mystery. Flashbacks, philosophical undertones, and character-driven plots anchor the chaos of its science-fiction setting.
TV analyst Leah Hammond described it as:
“A perfect modern Lost — a sprawling ensemble drama that makes you question who’s saving the world and who’s trying to control it.”
Both shows share:
- A stranded group of survivors with hidden pasts
- Conspiracies involving corporate or governmental power
- Flashbacks and multiple timelines
- A mysterious, possibly supernatural event
- A focus on hope and redemption amid despair
But Paradise updates the formula for today’s viewers, mixing political tension and ethical debates about AI, climate collapse, and survival.
What Critics and Fans Expect from Season 2?
Given the success of Season 1, expectations are sky-high for Paradise’s return.
Critics praised the show’s worldbuilding and character depth, but some noted pacing issues. Fogelman promised that Season 2 will “tighten the mystery and raise the emotional stakes.”
TV columnist Dana Corrigan wrote:
“If Season 1 was about isolation, Season 2 looks ready to test what humanity does when isolation ends. The question isn’t whether they can survive outside — it’s whether they should.”
With Emmy buzz and growing international audiences, Paradise is poised to become Hulu’s next flagship prestige drama.
When and Where to Watch?
Paradise Season 2 premieres February 23, 2026, on Hulu. The season launches with three episodes, followed by weekly instalments through April 2026.
Paradise Season 2 Viewing Guide
Platform – Hulu
Premiere Date – February 23, 2026
Initial Release – 3 Episodes
Schedule – Weekly, Fridays
Finale Date – April 17, 2026
Fans can stream Season 1 now on Hulu to catch up before the new season drops.
Why Paradise Is Hulu’s Most Important Sci-Fi Series Yet?
In a streaming era saturated with dystopian dramas, Paradise distinguishes itself through its emotional core. Fogelman uses sci-fi concepts to explore human themes of loss, faith, power, and connection.
The show’s production values, character arcs, and layered mysteries make it the perfect spiritual successor to Lost, while its political subtext and moral ambiguity give it a distinctly modern edge.
As critic Aaron Tuttle noted,
“Paradise isn’t just a mystery show — it’s about the mystery of being human when the world ends.”
FAQs
Paradise Season 2 premieres on February 23, 2026, exclusively on Hulu.
Season 2 will have 10 episodes, with the first three dropping on premiere day.
Sterling K. Brown returns as Xavier Collins, joined by Shailene Woodley, Julianne Nicholson, Sarah Shahi, and others.
While not narratively connected, Paradise reunites creator Dan Fogelman and actor Sterling K. Brown.
Season 1 is available for streaming now on Hulu.
