Kate Winslet Confirms “Strong Likelihood” of Mare of Easttown Season 2 Filming in 2027
Fans of HBO’s gritty crime drama Mare of Easttown have received the news they have been waiting nearly five years to hear. Kate Winslet, the show’s star and executive producer, has officially broken her silence regarding a potential follow-up to the acclaimed 2021 miniseries. In a recent interview, the Oscar-winning actress revealed that serious discussions are finally underway to bring Detective Mare Sheehan back to the screen.
Winslet dropped the major update while promoting her recent directorial debut, Goodbye June. Speaking to entertainment reporters, she shifted away from her previous stance that the show was a “one-and-done” limited series. For years, she had maintained that the story was complete and that the emotional toll of playing the character was too high to revisit immediately. However, time seems to have softened that perspective.
According to Winslet, the creative team has engaged in “proper conversations” regarding a timeline for production. She admitted that for a long time, she felt the chapter was closed, calling it “done and dusted.” But her latest comments suggest a significant change of heart. She told outlets that she now believes they “probably will do it,” marking the first time she has felt optimistic about a return since the first season concluded.
While the confirmation is exciting, viewers will need to remain patient. The timeline Winslet proposed is not immediate. She clarified that production would certainly not begin in the current calendar year. Instead, she estimates that cameras would likely start rolling in 2027. She emphasized that there is a “strong likelihood” of meeting that specific target date.
This potential delay makes sense given the busy schedules of the key players involved. Series creator Brad Ingelsby has been deeply immersed in his latest HBO project, Task, which stars Mark Ruffalo. That series is set in the same fictional version of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, leading to speculation about a shared universe. The success of Task has reportedly helped reignite interest in exploring more stories within this specific regional setting.
The shift in Winslet’s attitude is a massive development for the network. Following the show’s finale in 2021, HBO executives expressed a desire to continue the franchise but made it clear they would only proceed if Winslet and Ingelsby were on board. At the time, Winslet expressed hesitation, citing the grueling nature of the role. Mare Sheehan is a character defined by grief, repressed trauma, and a distinct lack of vanity, requiring Winslet to inhabit a dark headspace for months.
Mare of Easttown originally premiered in April 2021 and quickly became a cultural phenomenon. The seven-part series followed Mare Sheehan, a detective in a small Pennsylvania town, as she investigated a local murder while her own life crumbled around her. The show was praised not just for its suspenseful whodunit plot, but for its authentic portrayal of working-class life and complex female relationships.
The series was a critical darling and an awards season juggernaut. It received 16 nominations at the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards and won four, including Outstanding Lead Actress for Winslet. Her co-stars also received heavy praise. Evan Peters won Outstanding Supporting Actor for his role as Detective Colin Zabel, and Julianne Nicholson took home the trophy for Outstanding Supporting Actress for her heartbreaking performance as Mare’s best friend, Lori.
The cast also featured industry veteran Jean Smart as Mare’s acerbic mother, Helen, and Angourie Rice as her daughter, Siobhan. The chemistry between the cast members, particularly the dynamic between Winslet and Smart, was often cited as the show’s emotional anchor. If a second season moves forward, securing the return of the surviving ensemble cast would likely be a top priority for the production team.
In the years since Mare last aired, Kate Winslet has remained incredibly active in Hollywood. She recently stepped behind the camera for the first time to direct Goodbye June, a Netflix family drama released in late 2025. The film, which she also starred in alongside Toni Collette and Helen Mirren, was written by her son, Joe Anders. The project received warm reviews for its intimate storytelling and marked a successful pivot in Winslet’s career trajectory.
Winslet also returned to the world of Pandora in James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash, which hit theaters in December 2025. Reprising her role as Ronal, the matriarch of the Metkayina clan, she once again proved her versatility in blockbuster franchises. Prior to that, she starred in the HBO political satire The Regime and the biopic Lee, where she portrayed the legendary war photographer Lee Miller.
The prospect of Mare of Easttown returning also raises narrative questions. The first season ended with a sense of closure, as Mare finally began to process the suicide of her son and climbed into the attic she had avoided for years. A second season would need to find a new mystery that feels personal to the character without undoing the emotional healing achieved in the finale. Creator Brad Ingelsby has previously stated he would only return if he could crack a story that honored the character’s journey.
With the success of Ingelsby’s Task, the appetite for stories set in this specific “Delco” universe is clearly present. Fans have even theorized about potential crossovers between the two shows, though nothing has been confirmed. For now, the promise of seeing Winslet don her flannel shirt and vape pen once again is enough to keep the fanbase buzzing. The year 2027 may seem far away, but for quality television, it is often worth the wait.
We want to know if you think a second season is a good idea or if the show should have ended on a high note, so please share your thoughts in the comments.
