Hunting Wives Season 2 Exceeds Expectations After Book Changes

After several surprising book changes, season 2 of The Hunting Wives will keep surprising viewers.

Malin Åkerman teased what fans can expect while speaking exclusively to Us Weekly at Variety’s Power of Women event in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 29, honoring a group of women dedicated to philanthropy as well as the most powerful women working in media and entertainment.

“Brittany [Snow] and I have become really great friends and I can definitely, definitely say that season 2 will exceed everyone’s expectations,” Åkerman, 47, hinted. “Because I didn’t know how they were going to top season 1. But I think we’ve got a great writers’ room.”

Åkerman, who plays Margo, promised that next season will “just blow you away,” adding, “So get ready.”

Based on May Cobb‘s novel, The Hunting Wives, which premiered in July, followed Sophie (Snow) after she relocated from Boston to an East Texas town. Sophie ultimately found herself drawn to prominent socialite Margo (Åkerman) and joined a clique of wealthy, conservative housewives with a passion for guns and cocktails before becoming a suspect in a murder.

In addition to Åkerman and Snow, the first season also starred Katie Lowes, Dermot Mulroney, Evan Jonigkeit, Chrissy Metz, Jaime Ray Newman and George Ferrier. After the show premiered, showrunner Rebecca Cutter and the cast addressed why The Hunting Wives didn’t fully stick to the source material.

“[Creator] Rebecca [Cutter] and May Cobb have a really great relationship. They’ve been talking through a lot and May was kind of like, ‘Go for it.’ She was on set and was really elated to see her characters come to life and really loved the direction that Rebecca went in with the characters and the changes,” Åkerman exclusively told Us that same month. “It’s fun to have some of the changes from the book so that people who are fans of the story can go along and be surprised as well. Hopefully it’s not too far gone where it doesn’t veer too far off the book so that they know the characters.”

Cutter previously teased plans for a second season when speaking to Variety in July, saying there is “a little bit of a time jump — not a year, but a time.” She also hinted that “it would be smart” to have a new murder mystery in the next season, adding, “I don’t know whodunit yet or who got done!”

After Netflix renewed the show two months later, Åkerman reflected on the work that went into the series — including when it came time to film those steamy sex scenes.

“I spend my life trying to stay healthy and work out. I want to be able to keep up with my kid and with life in general,” she explained of body image to Us on Wednesday. “So I think that it’s hard because we’re our own self critics. But that will never come through in a role.”

Åkerman continued: “I’ve never been told to lose weight or gain weight, unless that is necessary. But I just feel like you have to know what you need for your own body and health is No. 1, because you only have that.”

The Hunting Wives is currently streaming on Netflix.