Amazon has renewed Neagley, the Reacher spinoff starring Maria Sten, for a second season after the series recorded 40 million viewers within its first 13 days on Prime Video.
The renewal, reported by Variety, comes as the streaming platform continues to expand the universe surrounding its popular Reacher franchise.
According to Amazon, Neagley Season 1 became the fourth most-viewed original series debut in Prime Video history. The company also said 52 per cent of the series’ viewership came from international audiences.
Amazon did not disclose the methodology it uses to calculate viewership.
The series debuted on Prime Video on September 16, coinciding with the Season 4 finale of Reacher. The announcement of the second season also comes shortly after reports that Reacher itself had been renewed for a sixth season, while production on its fifth season is still underway.
Maria Sten returns as Frances Neagley
Sten reprises her role as Frances Neagley, a character who was first introduced in Lee Child’s Jack Reacher novels.
In the series, Neagley is a former Army colleague and protégé of Jack Reacher who has gone on to work as a private investigator. The first season follows her pursuit of justice after the suspicious death of a close friend from her past.
The series’ storyline describes Neagley as becoming “hell-bent on justice” after learning that her friend was killed in what initially appears to be an accident.
Amazon MGM Studios’ Head of Global Television, Peter Friedlander, said the character had connected strongly with audiences around the world.
“Audiences around the world have embraced Frances Neagley as a force all her own,” Friedlander said.
“Maria Sten delivers a commanding, layered performance that drives every episode, and Nick Santora and Nicholas Wootton have built a world that is both thrilling and compelling. We are excited to continue this story and explore what’s next for Neagley with our partners at Paramount Television Studios.”
Part of the Reacher universe
The renewal further expands the television adaptation of Child’s Jack Reacher book series, with Neagley moving from a supporting character in the Reacher universe to the central figure in her own series.
Sten’s Season 1 cast included Greyston Holt, Adeline Rudolph, Jasper Jones, Matthew Del Negro and Damon Herriman. Alan Ritchson, who plays Jack Reacher in the flagship series, also appeared in a guest role.
The spinoff is based on the character created by Child and featured in his bestselling Jack Reacher novels.
Nick Santora and Nicholas Wootton serve as writers, executive producers and co-showrunners on the series. Child is also an executive producer alongside Don Granger, Sam Hill, Adam Higgs and Lisa Kussner.
Neagley is produced by Paramount Television Studios and Amazon MGM Studios, with Carolyn Harris, Kenny Madrid and Niko Fernandez overseeing the project for Paramount Television Studios.
With its strong early audience figures and international reach, the renewal gives Amazon another opportunity to build on the popularity of the Reacher franchise while developing a separate storyline around one of its established characters.