‘Hijack,’ Starring Idris Elba, Renewed at Apple TV+

Apple TV+ has booked a return flight for its drama series Hijack.

The tech behemoth’s streaming service has ordered a second season of the thriller starring and executive produced by Idris Elba. Details on the story for season two are being kept under wraps, but Elba will reprise his role as Sam Nelson — a corporate negotiator who in the first season used his skills to bring about a resolution to the hijacking of a flight on which he was a passenger.

“I was floored by the overwhelming audience response after season one,” Elba said in a statement. “It’s top secret what new situation unfolds for Sam Nelson, but I can assure you we will bring the high octane back!”

Hijack, which concluded its seven-episode first season in August, drew solid viewership for Apple TV+, becoming the second series on the platform (after Ted Lasso) to earn a spot on Nielsen’s weekly top 10 streaming chart. Reviews were generally favorable as well, with The Hollywood Reporter critic Angie Han noting that co-creators George Kay and Jim Field Smith “keep the tension at a delicious thrum.”

“Global audiences were on tenterhooks watching Idris’s riveting performance in Hijack, and we’re thrilled to be working again with [producers] 60Forty and Idiotlamp on an equally compelling season two,” said Jay Hunt, creative director Europe for Apple TV+. 

Kay and Field Smith (who’s also the lead director on the series) will executive produce season two via their Idiotlamp Productions. Elba also exec produces along with 60Forty’s Jamie Laurenson, Hakan Kousetta and Tom Nash.