Alien Earth Season 2: Release Date, Cast, Plot Clues, and What to Expect From Noah Hawley’s Next Chapter

FX has a hit on its hands with Alien Earth, and yes, season 2 is happening in the way that matters most: the network wants it, the creator knows where it is headed, and the first season ended like a big neon sign that said See you next time. There is a catch on timing, but we will get to that.

FX is putting Alien Earth at the front of the line

Season 1 drew raves and consistently landed in the top 10 across both linear TV and streaming during its rollout. It is a major Disney-owned franchise, so the plan is more, not less. FX boss John Landgraf has been clear that Noah Hawley should keep his focus here before circling back to Fargo.

'We are pretty bullish on Alien: Earth. And we have told him that, assuming, as we hope, Alien: Earth is a returning television series, we want him to focus on at least writing two seasons of it before returning to a possible sixth season of Fargo.'

Where season 1 left us

The show introduced Hybrids - humans implanted into cybernetic bodies - and brought Xenomorphs (and a few other nightmares) to Earth. Wendy and her Hybrid siblings turned on Boy Kavalier and the Prodigy corporation, which set off a three-way mess heading into season 2:

- Weyland-Yutani forces are en route to Prodigy to reclaim alien specimens and likely bag any Hybrids they can find.

- Wendy pulled off something new for this franchise: she learned to control the Xenomorphs. It worked... for now. How long that lasts before instinct kicks back in is the question.

- The Eye, a very unsettling alien intelligence, hijacked Arthur's body and is positioned as another major antagonist.

Hawley already knows the destination

Noah Hawley has put a lot of time into mapping this out. He has a clear endgame in mind for Wendy and the Lost Boys - his words, not mine - even if he is not committing to how many seasons it takes to get there. The other thing he knows: the waits between seasons cannot be three to five years again. If he has his way, the process gets streamlined.

If you have followed Hawley's work, you know he is meticulous. Fargo famously takes its time. Legion ended when the story said it should, not when the ratings did. Expect the same discipline here.

Who is back

• Sydney Chandler is a lock to return as Wendy.
• Alex Lawther, Essie Davis, Babou Ceesay, and Samuel Blenkin are all likely to be back based on where season 1 left them.
• Timothy Olyphant is open to returning as Kirsh; he joked he would need a refresher course on his robotic role if the call comes.
• Some supporting players who only got a few scenes in season 1 could get more to do next time.
• Also, this is a Hawley show. Expect new characters and added complexity. The ensemble may shift in a big way.

How close do we get to Ridley Scott's Alien?

Season 1 is set in 2120, which puts it just two years ahead of the original 1979 film's timeline. Hawley intentionally built season 1 to stand on its own while still fitting with the logic of the first two Alien movies. Starting in season 2 and beyond, he has said they need to dig in on how this story eventually connects to that era. Translation: expect more bridge-building, but only when it serves the story, not as fan-service for its own sake.

The tricky part: when we actually see it

The season 1 finale aired in September 2025, and as of now there is no official season 2 greenlight. The production history is a little gnarly: COVID slowed the first run, then the 2023 strikes shut down season 1 early in filming the very first episode back in August 2023. Cameras rolled again in April 2024 and they wrapped just three months later. Impressive turnaround, but the show is effects-heavy, so post-production is a long haul.

Realistically, to land in 2027, writing would need to be locked and production ramping by mid-2026. That is doable if FX hits the go button soon, but do not pencil in anything earlier.

The bottom line

Alien Earth is the priority, the story engine is primed, and season 1 left plenty of volatile pieces on the board: Wendy's uneasy control over the Xenos, Weyland-Yutani marching in, and The Eye wearing Arthur like a suit. If FX moves quickly, we could be back on Earth with the bugs in 2027. Until then, I am curious what you want out of season 2: tighter tie-ins to Alien, or more time with Wendy and the Hybrids before the timelines collide?