Maddie Nears is still dead. Sort of. If you’ve been losing sleep over that wild ending to the first season, you aren't alone. The news that School Spirits Season 2 is officially happening felt like a lifeline for fans who were left staring at their screens in disbelief when Janet—the ghost we never really knew—basically hijacked Maddie's physical body and drove off into the sunset. It changed everything. We went from a standard "who killed me?" mystery to a high-stakes possession thriller.
Honestly, it’s rare for a YA show to stick the landing like that. Most teen dramas fizzle out or get too bogged down in romance. But School Spirits managed to blend the purgatory rules of The Good Place with the grit of a real crime procedural. Paramount+ finally got the cameras rolling in Vancouver late in 2024, and the hype is building because we have so many questions that need answers. Is Maddie's soul stuck in the high school forever? Can she ever get her body back? And what is Mr. Martin actually up to with those creepy thinning-the-veil experiments?
When is School Spirits Season 2 actually coming out?
Production schedules are tricky. We know the cast returned to set in the summer and fall of 2024. Showrunners Megan Trinrud and Nate Trinrud, along with executive producer Oliver Goldstick, have been pretty vocal about their excitement to get back into Split River High.
Since the filming wrapped toward the end of last year, post-production is currently the main hurdle. If we look at the timeline for the first season, a release in early to mid-2025 seems the most likely window. Paramount+ usually likes to drop these kinds of binge-worthy shows in the spring. You’ve got to account for the visual effects too. Even though it's a grounded show, the "spirit" effects and the way ghosts interact with the living world take time to polish so they don't look cheesy.
The Janet Problem and the Body Thief
Let's talk about that twist. It was huge. Most people assumed Maddie was murdered by her mom, or maybe Mr. Anderson, or even a random passerby. Finding out that she isn't technically "dead" in the spiritual sense, but rather "displaced," was a stroke of genius.
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In School Spirits Season 2, the stakes are shifted. We aren't just looking for a killer anymore; the "ghost circle" has to figure out how to track down a living person who is possessed by a ghost. Janet is out there in the world, inhabiting Maddie’s skin, and likely causing a whole lot of trouble. This creates a massive problem for the living characters like Simon. Simon spent the whole first season thinking he was seeing a ghost because of his deep grief. Now, he’s convinced Maddie is just a figment of his imagination or a mental breakdown because he saw "Maddie" (Janet) alive.
The psychological toll on Simon is going to be a major theme. Imagine seeing the person you love, who you thought was dead, alive and well, but realize they aren't them. It’s heartbreaking. Peyton List has already teased in various interviews that Maddie’s journey this season is much more desperate. She’s fighting for her literal existence now, not just her memory.
Mr. Martin: Mentor or Villain?
Josh Zuckerman plays Mr. Martin with such a weird, unsettling calm. For most of the first season, he was the guidance counselor of the afterlife. He was the one helping the kids "move on." Then we saw the bunker. The collected artifacts. The notes.
It turns out Mr. Martin has been studying the bridge between life and death for decades. He didn't just die in a fire; he might have started it. The lore of the show suggests that when a spirit feels an extreme burst of emotion—like the trauma Maddie felt when her mom broke her heart—the "thinning" happens. Mr. Martin has been trying to trigger this intentionally.
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In the upcoming episodes, we’re going to get the backstory on the fire that killed him and Janet back in the 50s. Was it an accident? Probably not. The other ghosts—Charley, Wally, and Rhonda—are finally waking up to the fact that their mentor has been lying to them for years. This creates a civil war in the afterlife.
Returning Cast and New Faces
The core group is back. You can't have the show without the spirits:
- Peyton List as Maddie Nears (and presumably Janet-as-Maddie)
- Kristian Ventura as Simon Elroy
- Milo Manheim as Wally Clark (everyone's favorite ghost athlete)
- Sarah Yarkin as Rhonda
- Nick Pugliese as Charley
We’re also getting some new additions to the cast. Reports have confirmed that Jess Gabor and Zack Calderon are joining the ensemble. While their specific roles are being kept under wraps, rumors suggest they might be linked to the school's past or perhaps even more spirits who have been hiding in different parts of the campus. Remember, Split River High is old. There could be ghosts from the 1920s or earlier that Mr. Martin has been keeping "sequestered."
Breaking the Rules of the Afterlife
One of the coolest things about the show is the "physics" of being a ghost. You can’t leave the school grounds. You can’t touch things unless you have a specific emotional connection or focus. But Janet broke those rules. She left.
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School Spirits Season 2 has to explain how a spirit can cross the property line while inhabiting a body. Does Maddie have a tether to her body that allows her to feel what Janet feels? There’s a theory circulating among fans that Maddie might be able to "haunt" her own body. It sounds wild, but in this show, it actually makes sense.
The show is based on the graphic novel by the Trinruds and Maria Nguyen. While the book provides a roadmap, the TV series has already veered into its own unique territory. This is good. It keeps the mystery fresh even for people who read the source material.
What should you do while waiting?
The wait for new episodes is brutal, but there are ways to prepare. First, go back and re-watch the finale of season one. Watch Mr. Martin’s face during the scenes where he talks about "moving on." It hits differently once you know he’s a collector of trauma.
Pay attention to the background of the boiler room scenes. There are files and names on those drawers that might hint at future characters. The showrunners love leaving "Easter eggs" that don't pay off until much later.
Key Actions for Fans:
- Re-watch Episode 8: Specifically the flashback to the fallout shelter. Notice how the sound design changes when Janet runs through Maddie.
- Follow the Cast: Peyton List and Milo Manheim often post behind-the-scenes glimpses from the Vancouver set on Instagram, which can give clues about filming locations.
- Read the Graphic Novel: Even though the show is different, the "vibe" and the rules of the world are established there. It’s a quick read but very insightful.
- Check the Soundtrack: The music in this show is top-tier. Re-listening to the score can help you spot recurring themes used for specific characters, like the subtle tones used whenever Mr. Martin is being deceptive.
The mystery of Maddie Nears is far from over. With Janet on the loose and Mr. Martin's true intentions revealed, the walls of Split River High are closing in on our favorite ghosts. We are looking at a season that promises to be darker, faster, and much more focused on the mechanics of the "split" between the living and the dead. Keep an eye on Paramount+ official announcements for the exact premiere date, likely to drop in a teaser trailer within the next few months.