In June, Netflix dropped the first full-length trailer for Arcane Season 2, confirming that this will be the final chapter of the highly-hyped animated series. Co-created by Alex Yee and Christian Linke, the show became an instant hit with both existing fans of League of Legends and fresh audiences when it premiered in November 2021. While video game-to-animation and even TV adaptations are nothing new, many successful games have been met with the fate of receiving terrible, if not lukewarm at best, adaptations that offered no justice to the source material. In the past decade, there were undoubtedly exceptions to this “curse,” with Netflix’s Castlevania and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners as standout cases that successfully opened doors to new audiences, but also rekindled interest in the games.
With four months away until the new season lands on Netflix, fans from all around the world are awaiting the return of Arcane with burning anticipation (and plenty of questions). Following the release of the new trailer, NFD had the chance to speak to Linke for production insights as well as what to expect from the upcoming season.
Riot Games’ CEO once mentioned that the first season of Arcane took 6 years to make. What are some of the most different and challenging production aspects between the seasons?
Arcane’s first season was truly the first time we ever set foot into the narrative entertainment world. We had never produced a TV show before. We had a lot to learn, teams to build, processes to find and creative things to figure out. After the success of season one, we had more confidence in our vision and were able to reduce our production time while still preserving the quality of the show. We continued our partnership with Fortiche, the fantastic animation studio that helped us bring this project to viewers across the world, and took some new risks with the art direction. We were also able to go even bigger with the music, which will play a larger role in each episode of the second season.
“Arcane is just the start of our broader storytelling journey into the world of Runeterra and our relationship with Fortiche.”
Was it also in the plan to only have two seasons for the series?
From the very beginning, we had a very distinct vision for the ending, which meant bringing the story of Arcane to a close after two seasons. However, Arcane is just the start of our broader storytelling journey into the world of Runeterra and our relationship with Fortiche.
Given that season one was so successful, what were some of the most challenging aspects of bringing Arcane season two to life?
The amount of time it took to produce both seasons of Arcane posed some challenges for everyone including myself, the animators and the voice actors. Personally, I’ve been working on the series for nearly 9 years. So we’ve had to find ways to stay innovative and keep thinking of new ideas to surprise and delight our audience. Our actors also had to keep their voices consistent. This was particularly difficult for Mia Sinclair Jenness who voices Powder, the child version of Jinx. She was a little girl when we started the show, and her voice changed as she grew up.
Are there any personal highlights for you from season two?
That’s a tough one, because there’s a lot about Season 2 that excites me. The soundtrack will be something special, that’s for sure. Other than that, my favorite part of working on the second season was getting to work more closely with my colleagues at Riot and at Fortiche, a very special house of artists who are dedicated to creating something unique. Watching the creative process come together after everyone added their own personal touch was really magical, especially since we’re producing new stories based on a live game that’s been running for over 15 years.
I’m also very excited for fans to see how the relationship between Jinx and Vi continues to develop following the season one finale. The first season focused heavily on their connection as siblings and how much they were willing to forgive each other for their actions, and season two dives even deeper into that question.
“Without giving away any spoilers, this season will explore some of the darker aspects of the characters from season one…”
The first season ended on an explosive cliffhanger with many answers and fates unanswered. Can you give us any hints on how the new season will pick up from that?
Without giving away any spoilers, this season will explore some of the darker aspects of the characters from season one and show the next steps in their story. We wanted to push their boundaries and take them in a direction that reflects their personalities from within the League of Legends game. The teaser is a strong indication of where their journeys are headed.
Will season two be spotlighting other “champions” from the IP that were unexplored in the previous season?
There are some new characters in the second season, but we also want to spotlight our other champions and regions of Runeterra in our projects after Arcane. There are over 160 playable champions and 13 different regions in League of Legends and they vary greatly in terms of personality and tonality, so we’re looking forward to exploring their stories.
We’re also focused on reflecting the Arcane characters in our games. Ambessa Medarda, who was introduced to fans in the first season, will be a playable champion in League later this year.
“We’re also focused on reflecting the Arcane characters in our games. Ambessa Medarda, who was introduced to fans in the first season, will be a playable champion in League later this year. ”
Are there considerations to expand Arcane in any other forms of mediums after this?
Riot Games China is working with Tencent Video, Tencent Interactive Entertainment, SMG Performing Artists Group, Shanghai Media Group Live, Wajijiwa Entertainment and immersive theater company Punchdrunk to adapt Arcane as an immersive experience at the Shanghai Hotel in 2025. It will feature characters like Vi, Jinx and Caitlyn, and casting is currently underway.
What kind of experience do you think this season will offer to new and existing fans of Arcane?
We want these characters to feel real for our fans, with more developed personalities and emotions that viewers can recognize within themselves. We’re confident that our viewers who enjoyed season one will love the second season as well!
The final season of Arcane is set for a worldwide release on Netflix this November. Watch the official teaser trailer below.