Everything We Know So Far About Winning Time Season 2 And Its Return To HBO
This post contains spoilers for "Winning Time" season 1.
There was almost too much to like about "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty," HBO's grand retelling of the Los Angeles Lakers' rise to prominence in the 1980s. If it wasn't John C. Reilly's masterful performance as outlandish Lakers owner Jerry Buss, it was the array of exceptional talent in the supporting cast and the dizzying amount of sports and cultural history packed into the 10-episode series. The adaptation of Jeff Pearlman's book "Showtime" may have caused some controversy, with Lakers legends Jerry West and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar both expressing their distaste for the show. But the general consensus is that season 1 of "Winning Time" managed to deliver an effective mix of dramatic storytelling with outright raucous fun.
The first season was enough of a hit for Warner and HBO to renew it for a second season, which means we'll soon be given a whole new run of fourth-wall-breaking, genre-blending episodes in the near future. The first season charted the genesis of the Laker dynasty during the 1979 to 1980 season, but Pearlman's book actually covers the team's story across the 1980s. Which means there's plenty of story left to tell. Luckily, we've got all the info you need on when season 2 will debut, what it's about, and who's running the show.
What is the Winning Time season 2 release date, and where can you watch it?
"Winning Time" season 1 wrapped up back in May 2022, with its final episode airing on HBO and simultaneously being made available to stream on HBO Max. But even before that season ended, HBO confirmed that the show had been renewed for a second season, later confirming its arrival in 2023 as part of a sizzle reel of footage set to debut in the forthcoming year.
Unfortunately, there was no release date included in the promo reel, and HBO has yet to confirm one elsewhere. Which means, as of now, the exact date when season 2 of "Winning Time" will debut remains unclear. But it's looking like it should arrive in 2023, especially since we know production started last year, thanks to a tweet from the show's official account back in August of 2022:
Back in the game.
Season 2 of #WinningTime is now in production. pic.twitter.com/ZpwMoGjPco
— Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (@winningtimehbo) August 24, 2022
With ongoing behind-the-scenes issues at Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns HBO Max, and continued uncertainty about the future of the streaming service, nothing is certain at this point. That said, considering the success of "Winning Time" season 1, it's likely that a follow-up will be churned out fairly quickly, which bodes well for a 2023 release. When it does finally hit, you can expect to be able to watch the episodes on the HBO network and HBO Max (or whatever Warner CEO David Zaslav decides to call the streaming service as it evolves in 2023).
What is Winning Time season 2 about?
Season 1 of "Winning Time" wrapped up with the end of the 1979-80 NBA season and the Lakers' championship win. But there's a lot more to cover as the team continues its ascendence throughout the '80s. Adrien Brody's Pat Riley is yet to become the legendary coach he's now known as, while the team have an entire decade of dominance ahead of them, led by Quincy Isaiah's Magic Johnson.
According to co-creator Max Borenstein, who spoke to /Film about the show's first season, he won't be changing too much for the second go 'round. The showrunner spoke to Deadline about, "the show's potential to continue for multiple seasons as "an American epic," that could even stretch into the Shaq and Kobe era. For season 2, though, Borenstein is focused on not "adjusting [the show's] pace to try to speed it up to the point where we lose the purpose." That means the upcoming run of episodes will tell a similarly in-depth story to the first season. As Borenstein put it:
"This next season is going to be taking the same pace that this first season did, roughly, to tell the next piece of the story. Which involves Paul Westhead and Pat Riley, and a struggle Magic has that next year, and Jerry West's next step in the direction of becoming the general manager. There's a lot of transitional stuff that starts to happen in that next season."
While the details remain mysterious, anyone who's read "Showtime" will know the overall story. One thing you can be sure of is the team behind the first season are committed to telling the story at the same pace, which likely means we'll follow the team across the course of a single season again.
Who's in the cast and crew of Winning Time season 2?
While there's been no official announcements regarding the cast of "Winning Time" season 2, there are some actors who are pretty much guaranteed to return. John C. Reilly as Jerry Buss is basically a guarantee, as the flamboyant Lakers owner will continue to implement his grand vision for the team over the course of the 1980s. Reilly seemed to confirm as much in an interview with Vulture, too, saying, "I'm only obligated to do another season of the show, and I haven't even thought about whether I would want to keep doing it beyond that."
You can also basically guarantee most of the players from the first season will be back to lead the Lakers to victory in another NBA season. That means you can expect to see Quincy Isaiah's Magic Johnson and Solomon Hughes' Kareem Abdul-Jabbar returning, alongside coaches Patt Riley (Adrien Brody) and Paul Westhead (Jason Segel).
Some season 1 cast members that definitely won't be returning (unless the show starts using flashbacks) include Sally Field, who played Jerry's mother Jesse Buss. Jesse died towards the end of season 1, so Field almost certainly won't be showing up going forward. Elsewhere, Wood Harris' Spencer Haywood was emphatically removed from the Lakers team before almost going through with a plan to kill them all. He was talked down by Kareem, but it seems unlikely he'll be playing a big role if any going forward. And finally, Tracy Letts, who played Coach Jack McKinney, will probably be missing from forthcoming seasons after McKinney was replaced by Pat Riley and Westhead in the first run of episodes.
Who's in charge of Winning Time season 2?
According to Variety, back in July of 2022, show co-creator and co-writer of the first ten episodes, Max Borenstein, "extended his overall deal with HBO for a further three years." Although the announcement referred to his overall deal and not specifically to his showrunning duties on "Winning Time," he'll be with the network long enough to oversee at least another season of the show. That's something he's talked about elsewhere. In an interview with Indiewire, the showrunner said he was, "incredibly proud of what we've done and excited to have a second season now to continue."
Winning Time" has been a stark change for Borenstein. His previous credits include writing for the Monsterverse movies, including "Kong: Skull Island," and "Godzilla vs. Kong." But he's always had a penchant for writing gripping drama, as he showed by writing the screenplay for 2020's "Worth." And now, with "Winning Time," he's once again demonstrated his talent for creating compelling drama while maintaining an air of fun and excitement. You can expect more of that as Borenstein helps steer the second season.
And with Adam MacKay producing the first season and directing the first episode, it seems likely he'll be involved in show going forward. "Winning Time" relies on his fourth-wall-breaking technique, which featured heavily in McKay's previous work — most notably "The Big Short." And executive vice president of HBO Programming, Francesca Orsi, also mentioned him when announcing the second season, saying, "It's been a thrill to bring 'Winning Time' to life with Adam McKay, Max Borenstein, our phenomenal producing team, and this incredible cast." All of which bodes well for his continued involvement. For now, we'll have to await further developments, and will update this article as more information becomes available.