Netflix Renews ‘Altered Carbon,’ Anthony Mackie to Take the Lead in Season 2
We always knew that if Netflix picked Altered Carbon up for a second season, Joel Kinnaman wouldn’t be reprising the role of protagonist Takeshi Kovacs. That’s because the sci-fi series, based on the novels by Richard K. Morgan, takes place in a future where human consciousness has been digitized and can be uploaded into various bodies. As such, Takeshi’s story takes place over the span of several centuries and many bodies (or “sleeves”), and his next one will take the form of Marvel star Anthony Mackie.
Part of the appeal of Altered Carbon is that basic premise, which allows for new actors to step into the role each season. Per Deadline, Netflix has officially ordered Season 2 of the series, with Anthony Mackie set to take over the lead role of Takeshi — whose original body was, of course, an Asian man (an aspect that caused a bit of a stir during Season 1). Little else is known about the sophomore season of the series, like which cast members — if any — will return from Season 1, or how much father into the future Altered Carbon will take us.
Executive producer and Season 1 showrunner Laeta Kalogridis will resume her duties on Season 2, with Alison Schapker serving as co-executive producer and showrunner. Kalogridis previously stated that we might see characters like Reileen (Takashi’s sister, played by the great Dichen Lachman) and the delightful Poe (Chris Conner) pop up in future episodes, but those returns have yet to be confirmed.
The first season of the sci-fi noir was set 300 years in the future and followed Kinnaman’s Takeshi, a former elite soldier who emerged as the lone survivor of his team during a violent uprising against a new bureaucracy. His mind was digitally imprisoned for hundreds of years, but revived and transplanted into a new body to help investigate the “sleeve murder” of a wealthy businessman.
It’s still early days so it’s unclear when the new season will premiere, but you can — and should — catch up with Season 1 on Netflix.