After four long years of wonder and waiting, fans of the FX series Taboo may finally be able to hang a light on some hope that a second season will arrive! While details are scant, creator Steven Knight (who co-created the series with Tom Hardy, based on the concept created by Hardy and his father, Chips Hardy) told us during an interview for Spencer that there is in fact going to be a Season 2, but as to when filming would begin? That might still be more of a waiting game.
During his conversation with Collider's own Steve Weintraub, Knight confirmed that "six of the eight [episodes] are written, we are trying to get stars aligned so that we can get our star [Hardy] back on set." Hardy's schedule has been jam-packed since Taboo aired and, thanks to the recent crossover between the Venom and Spider-Man franchises that was seen in the post-credit scene of Venom: Let Their Be Carnage, it appears that Hardy's schedule will be even busier. As Knight joked, "He's busier than me."
Taboo Season 1 was an eight-part season that was set in 1814. It told the story of James Delaney (Hardy) who returns to England after twelves years in Africa with fourteen stolen diamonds, following the death of his father and as the war with the United States, the War of 1812, is nearing its end. The series, much like Knight's other project Peaky Blinders, explores the dark side of London in the 19th century, along with political and business corruption, gangs, the working class, and the increase in wealth of the rich.
Season 1 saw Delaney, after his father's death, inheriting a section of the ocean called Nookta Sound, which could be key to either side during the War of 1812 and could be a lucrative shipping channel. With this knowledge, Nookta Sound draws the attention of the British Government and the East India Trading Company, which is personified in the form of Jonathan Pryce's character Sir Stuart Strange, who becomes the foil to Hardy's Delaney. Season 1 of Taboo ended with a huge shootout on the docks, just as Delaney and his crew boarded a ship, but instead of heading for Nookta Sound, they instead flew the Stars and Stripes flag on the commandeered vessel, claiming they are Americans, with Delaney saying he needs to meet a man named Colonnade.
Fans have been waiting for years to see why Delaney changed his mind and figure out just who this Colonnade really is, and, unfortunately, they will continue to wait, as Knight predicted that because of Hardy's busy schedule they wouldn't even begin filming until "early 2023."
Hardy, who spoke with Esquire back in August, reiterated how much of a passion project Taboo was for him and how much he was yearning to go back: "The second season of Taboo is really, really important to me, and it’s taken a lot of thinking because I really enjoyed the first one and I want to be really fulfilled by the second one."
At this point, it's not a matter if but when the series will return, but it will be interesting to see if Knight's prognostication will be accurate or not. The entire first season of Taboo can be viewed on Hulu.