'Homecoming' Season 2 Will Be Directed By Kyle Patrick Alvarez; Stephen James And Hong Chau Returning

Homecoming season 2 has found its director, and a few familiar faces are coming back as well. Kyle Patrick Alvarez, who helmed The Standford Prison Experiment and several episodes of 13 Reasons Why, will direct the new season of the Amazon series. Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail directed the first season but is only coming back to executive produce season 2. Meanwhile, season 1 stars Stephen James and Hong Chau have been confirmed to return.

The latest Homecoming season 2 news comes courtesy of Deadline. Like Sam Esmail in season 1, Kyle Patrick Alvarez will direct every episode of season 2. Homecoming is based on the podcast of the same name, but season 2 is going to heavily divert from its source material. Season 1 featured Julia Roberts as a social worker with amnesia. Over the course of the season, Roberts' character uncovers more about her past, and her connection to a soldier played by Stephan James.

James will be back for season 2, as will Hong Chau, who plays Audrey Temple – a character who was presented as an office assistant but turned out to be a lot more by the season's end. Roberts won't be back, though. Instead, Janelle Monáe is the new lead. Per Deadline's article, Monáe's character "provides a glimpse into the potential Season 2 mystery — she plays a woman who finds herself floating in a canoe, with no memory of how she got there — or even who she is."

"We're so lucky to have Kyle Alvarez on board to direct Season Two — his enthusiasm and relentless creativity are already taking the show in exciting new directions," said creators Eli Horowitz and Micah Bloomberg. "And we're thrilled that Stephan and Hong will be returning — we can't wait to watch as they take their characters on these surprising journeys, far beyond anything we could have expected."

I was a big fan of Homecoming season 1, and I feel like the series was criminally overlooked. If you haven't watched it yet, I highly recommend you check it before season 2 rolls around. It's a great throwback to paranoia thrillers like Three Days of the Condor and The Conversation, but with a modern-day aesthetic. Esmail's direction was wonderful, so I'm a little disappointed he's not coming back. But I'm curious to see what Alvarez does.