The TV series based on Presumed Innocent has come to an end, revealing the truth about Rusty Sabich’s involvement in Carolyn Polhemus’ death. This raises the question of whether there will be a second season.
Jake Gyllenhaal portrays Rusty Sabich in Apple’s streaming service, where he is faced with a trial for the murder of his former lover and colleague. Our Presumed Innocent ending explainer will reveal whether he was found guilty or not.
The TV show is based on the 1987 novel by Scott Turrow, which was also made into a movie in 1990 with the same title. Starring Harrison Ford, the film was a major success, earning over $220 million despite having a budget of only $20 million.
The Apple TV+ version of Presumed Innocent may follow the same path as its predecessors, as it has been preceded by two TV sequels. The question remains whether Jake Gyllenhall will reprise his role. Here is what we currently know.
Presumed Innocent Sequel Announced
Apple announced on July 12 that there will be a second season of Presumed Innocent, two weeks prior to the conclusion of Season 1.
The streamer asserts that the show has been their most viewed drama to date, although Variety noted that “Apple has not disclosed any viewership data to support this statement”when reporting on the matter.
So far, there is no information on the story or cast for Season 2, and it is unclear how it may tie in with Season 1. However, we do have some theories, so beware of SPOILERS.
Possible Events in Season 2
Despite Rusty Sabich being found innocent at the end of Presumed Innocent Season 1, there is still a possibility for Jake Gyllenhaal to return in Season 2. However, the series could also potentially continue without his character.
The show could take one of three directions. David E. Kelly, the showrunner, could either write a completely original season focusing on a fresh case, with or without Rusty.
Alternatively, the show could once again employ the writing of author Scott Turrow.
In the novel Presumed Innocent, Rusty enlists the services of defense attorney Alejandro ‘Sandy’ Stern, who also appears in the film adaptation. This character is also the focus of the 1990 novel The Burden of Proof and a 1992 miniseries.
A possible continuation of the story could be a sequel series. However, since Stern does not make an appearance in the Apple TV+ show, they would have to be introduced in the second season of Presumed Innocent.
Jake Gyllenhaal’s Potential Involvement
Another option would be for Kelly to involve Rusty Sabitch/Jake Gyllenhaal by adapting Turrow’s 2010 novel, Innocent. This novel was later adapted into a TV movie in 2011.
The story, although set 20 years after the events of Presumed Innocent, still centers around Rusty and his murder trial for the death of his wife, Barbara, in which he is charged as the main suspect.
This would require either setting the sequel in the future and aging up Gyllenhaal’s character, or making significant changes to the timeline. However, the latter option would disrupt the internal consistency of the story and therefore seems unlikely.
The wise decision would be for Kelly to steer the show in a completely different direction, just as he did with the conclusion of Season 1, whether or not Jake Gyllenhaal is involved. This approach proved successful for True Detective, so it would make sense to do the same here.
We will keep you updated on any new information regarding Presumed Innocent 2. Alternatively, for a dose of procedural drama, you can also watch Suits L.A. or True Detective Season 5.
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