Paper Girls Season 2 Could Introduce Even More New Characters & Threats

Based on Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang’s best-selling graphic novel series, Prime Video’s Paper Girls is a high-stakes, coming-of-age adventure centered on four young women. While on their delivery routes the morning after Halloween 1988, the titular four paper girls — Erin, Mac, Tiffany, and KJ — find themselves “caught in the crossfire between warring time-travelers, changing the course of their lives forever,” per Amazon’s streaming service. Transported into the future, the group must evade the militant Old Watch time-travelers who are hunting them, while also coming face-to-face with the unexpected grown-up versions of themselves along the way.

Though Prime Video has yet to renew Paper Girls for Season 2, the eight-episode first outing ended in a cliffhanger that left unanswered questions and certainly set up another installment. Also working in the show’s favor is the fact that early reviews — many of which point to obvious Stranger Things comparisons — have been largely positive. Though Paper Girls features kids on bikes in the ‘80s, Rolling Stone hailed the series as being “no Stranger Things rip-off.” Meanwhile, The Guardian called the show “a hugely fun sci-fi caper that’s like an all-female Stranger Things,” and AV Club wrote that, despite “some clunky exposition,” the first season was a “hell of a good time.”

As fans await renewal or cancellation news, here’s everything to know about a potential Paper Girls Season 2.

The Paper Girls Season 2 Cast

All but certain to return are the four core cast members: Camryn Jones (Tiffany Quilkin), Riley Lai Nelet (Erin Tieng), Sofia Rosinsky (Mac Coyle), and Fina Strazza (KJ Brandman). Given the events of Season 1, the fates of characters played by Ali Wong (adult Erin), Nate Corddry (Larry), Adina Porter (Prioress), and Jason Mantzoukas (Grandfather) might be slightly less certain, though still entirely possible, especially given the time-jumping nature of the show.

The Paper Girls Season 2 Plot

Considering the show draws inspiration from the Image Comics series, which published 30 issues between 2015 and 2019, there’s certainly plenty of source material to draw upon. Though Vaughan and Chiang serve as executive producers — and gave the TV writers detailed notes on the characters’ backgrounds and design concepts — they insist the show stands on its own.

“I think sometimes people read a comic and are like, ‘oh this is just storyboards, let’s just shoot this.’ But comics are its own unique medium, and television can do things that we can’t,” Vaughan explained to Entertainment Weekly in June. “If you’ve never heard of Paper Girls, if you’re not familiar with this comic, then the show is still 100 percent accessible and I think you will love it. But if you’re a hardcore fan of the comic, it’s still going to be extremely surprising to you. With our blessing, they go to some places that we never could as a comic and there are new characters, there are new threats.”

Following the events of Season 1, it seems KJ and Mac will be tasked with making contact with the adult Tiffany to help stop the war between The Old Watch and the STF Underground and fix the timeline. Meanwhile, KJ’s sexuality, which was only briefly touched on in relation to her and Mac’s connection, could be a bigger plot point moving forward. “I think that KJ’s relationship with all the girls will be explored if we get the chance to explore it more,” Fina told Distractify of a possible second season, adding that her character’s future self-acceptance was a relief. “I think that when she finds out [she’s gay], it’s shocking, but she kind of knew it was coming, I think.”

The Paper Girls Season 2 Premiere Date

Without an official renewal, it’s difficult to establish a Season 2 production timeline. However, filming for Season 1 reportedly began around Chicago in May 2021, ahead of a July 29, 2022 premiere. If the next potential installment follows suit, viewers can likely expect Season 2 to premiere as early as late summer 2023.

This post will be updated as more Paper Girls Season 2 details become available.