Apple TV has announced the premiere date for the second season of the thrilling action series Hijack, starring Idris Elba. The new episodes will premiere on January 14th.

While the first season took place on an airplane, this time the story shifts to a train. The announcement trailer shows Elba boarding a train with a bomb attached to the bottom.

From Airplane To Train

The first season unfolded in real-time on a flight from Dubai to London. The series followed not only Elba's character, a skilled negotiator, but also air traffic controllers, authorities, and criminals on the ground who all had a stake in the flight.

The cast of the first season included Archie Panjabi, Christine Adams, Max Beesley, Ben Miles, Eve Myles, and Neil Maskell. The series was created by George Kay, known for Lupin, and directed by BAFTA-nominated Jim Field Smith.

From Miniseries To Hit

Originally, Hijack was intended as a standalone miniseries. However, due to its tremendous success and popularity among viewers, it grew into one of the most-watched drama series on Apple TV.



Production for the second season was completed in February of this year. This new series added actors such as Toby Jones, Lisa Vicari, Christiane Paul, Clare-Hope Ashitey, Karima McAdams, and Christian Näthe to the cast.

What Can Fans Expect?

With the shift from airplane to train, the series seems to once again opt for a claustrophobic setting filled with tension. With Idris Elba back in the lead role and a strong ensemble cast, the series is ready to keep viewers on the edge of their seats once again.

Think of the 80s and 90s. Then think of an actress from that time who starred in some of the funniest romantic comedies. Chances are, Meg Ryan pops up.

Now 63 years old, the star single-handedly shaped the romcom genre. She was right at home in it. With her irresistible looks and smile, she is featured in many film classics such as When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got Mail, and French Kiss.

Long Silence

But her talent didn’t stop there. Just think of Top Gun, Courage Under Fire, and The Doors. Yet, the major star disappeared from the spotlight after Serious Moonlight in 2009. There was silence until she herself adapted Ithaca, which was released in 2015.

After that, there was more silence until she adapted the play What Happens Later and released it in 2023. Perhaps it’s because her last film projects weren’t very successful. But Meg Ryan had a different explanation.

Prefer More Experience

She said: "I took a gigantic break because I felt there were so many other things to experience as a human being. I wanted to develop further and view filmmaking as a job, not as a lifestyle. That’s how I navigate best."



That was one way to explain her hiatus. But she also noted that Hollywood often does not offer good roles for older women. That was disappointing and affected her mental well-being. Now she controls the creative process from writing to directing and producing. That makes a difference for her.

The emergency department of Pittsburgh returns, and we see a moment where everything goes wrong at once. The Pitt shifts season two to the July 4th weekend, a major holiday in the U.S., which significantly tests the hospital's capabilities.

The structure remains recognizable. Fifteen episodes cover a total of fifteen hours, with each episode showcasing about one hour of service. That format worked in the first season and will be executed even tighter in the second. With Noah Wyle as Dr. Michael Robby Robinavitch, the emphasis shifts to making choices under time pressure and what those choices do to the team and patients.

New Peak Pressure, New Profile

The setting around the July 4th provides realistic emergencies that completely inundate the department. This leads to a believable scaling up of the problems from the first season. The teaser highlights this shift and confirms the return of the series in January 2026.

Noah Wyle hinted earlier that Robby will also face "yet another life-changing decision in the second season. This will give the new season a clear emotional weight alongside the larger-than-life medical problems. Wyle, by the way, also takes a seat in the director's chair for one of the episodes behind the scenes.

Tight Roadmap To January

HBO Max aims for a powerful launch in early January 2026 for the second season of The Pitt. The sharpened real-time format, the added pressure from medical cases during the holiday, and Noah’s deeper character exploration should make the second season even better than the first, which already received a historically high rating of 8.9 on IMDb.