Apple TV renews horror-comedy 'Widow's Bay' for second season, signs creator Katie Dippold to multi-year overall deal
Apple TV announced on Thursday a second season of its acclaimed horror-comedy 'Widow's Bay', days before the season one finale on June 17, and signed creator Katie Dippold to a new multi-year overall deal.
Renewal and creator deal
Apple TV has ordered a second season of 'Widow's Bay', the horror-comedy series starring Matthew Rhys as the mayor of a cursed New England island. The renewal, announced June 11, comes six days before the first-season finale drops on the streamer. Simultaneously, the service locked in creator, showrunner and executive producer Katie Dippold to a multi-year overall deal covering series development and a first-look on film projects.
From the moment audiences arrived in Widow's Bay, they've been hooked on every eerie mystery, unexpected laughs, and cursed secret that Katie, Hiro, Matthew, and the entire team have created. It's become one of those shows everyone's talking about, and we're thrilled to see audiences continue to embrace it. We can't wait to return for another season.
The series so far
The show follows Mayor Tom Loftis (Rhys), a well-meaning but faint-hearted leader trying to revive a struggling community on an island 40 miles off the New England coast. Desperate to build a tourist economy and gain the respect of superstitious locals, he succeeds — only for the old, absurd stories about curses and lurking horrors to prove true. The first season drew critical praise, with IndieWire naming it one of the best series of 2026 and Dippold and director Hiro Murai receiving the publication's Visionary Award last week.
What's next
Dippold, who showruns the series, joked that the second season will be "about how everything is great on the island and there's nothing to worry about." In a recent interview, Murai spoke of a "thicker soup, a thicker stew" in a potential second season, while Dippold teased "a lot of fun to be had." She has nurtured the concept for almost two decades — telling The Hollywood Reporter she nearly sold a version to Amazon in 2013 before pulling it, feeling it wasn't ready.
I just had this bad feeling. I put a pin in it. I just knew it wasn't ready. I knew I hadn't thought enough about the show or the world.
Development timeline
The long-gestating project traces back nearly 20 years before landing at Apple TV for a hit first season.
- Katie Dippold begins developing the series concept, keeping it in her head for years.
- Dippold nearly sells a version to Amazon but pulls it back, feeling the show isn't ready.
- Apple TV announces season 2 renewal and signs Dippold to a multi-year overall deal.
- Season 1 finale premieres on Apple TV.
