The hit animated seriesArcanetook the world by surprise. The spin-off show, based on the popular Riot PC gameLeague of Legends, had the potential to be as big a flop as the filmWarcraft(based on the also popular gameWorld of Warcraft). However, unlikeWarcraft, with its Rotten Tomatoes rating of 28%,Arcanehas soared. It has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a massive 9 Annie nominations for 2022, and has spent weeks at the top of Netflix’s most-watched English-language series list, animated or otherwise.
This success can be attributed to fresh-faced writersChristian LinkeandAlex Lee(both members of the Riot creative team), whose love of the characters and years working in the background of the game brought the stories of sisters and League champions Vi and Jinx to life. Not only this but they employed the services ofStudio Fortiche, known for being founded and owned by artists who don’t let pressure get in the way of quality work. Their oil-painting-like style pushed the boundaries of 2D and 3D animation and created the moving art piece,Arcane. Throw in a kick-ass theme song byImagine Dragonsand you have one of the most successful shows of 2021. Unsurprisingly the evening the Season 1 ended, Riot confirmed there would be Season 2. So… what can we expect next? Warning: spoilers ahead.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated on June 20, 2025.
Does ‘Arcane’ Season 2 Have a Release Date?
Last year, Netflix announced thatArcanewould be makingits long-awaited return in November 2024.
Much like the previous season, the new installment ofArcanewill not be released all at once like other Netflix originals, but will instead be released in three acts.
November is primed to be a critically acclaimed month for the streaming platform, and not just because one of the network’s most highly praised animated shows is finally returning. Netflix is making a big Awards Season push with two films that have been the subjects of abundant early Oscar buzz, includingthe cartel crime musicalEmilia Perezas well astheAugust WilsonadaptationThe Piano Lesson.
Does ‘Arcane’ Season 2 Have a Trailer?
The official and long-awaited teaser trailer forArcaneSeason 2 arrived with good news and bad news. The good news is that fans finally got a good look at what’s to come in Vi and Jinx’s story, complete with some genuinely jaw-dropping animation. The bad news is that, along with the reveal of the second season, Netflix also announced that Season 2 would also beArcane’s last. It’s a somewhat surprising move given the widespread praise for the show, but it does prime Season 2 to be an epic finale with grand and unexpected stakes. Not to mention, it’s been heavily implied thatArcanewon’t be the last time we see theLeague of Legendsuniverse on-screen.
The second official trailer forArcaneSeason 2 gives a better sense of the climactic season’s endgame, which includes an all-out war between Piltover and Zaun. Picking up right where Season 1 left off with its shocking cliffhanger ending, Season 2 ofArcanesees the two nextdoor nations in an unprecedented and dangerous scenario. On one side is Vi, the reformed fugitive who has reluctantly adopted the affluent world of Piltover as her own. The other is Vi’s own sister, Jinx, whose mind has been perhaps irreversibly damaged by a lifetime of trauma and heartbreak.
The third and final trailer forArcaneSeason 2, subtitled “Come Play,” was released on Netflix’s YouTube channel on October 16.
Who Stars in ‘Arcane’ Season 2?
Hailee Steinfeld
Ella Purnell
Katie Leung
Reed Shannon
Amirah Vann
Mick Wingert
Heimerdinger
Ellen Thomas
Brett Tucker
Kevin Alejandro
Harry Lloyd
Much of the cast from Season 1 ofArcaneis expected to return for Season 2, starting withHailee Steinfeldas Vi. Steinfeld has plenty of experience playing rugged heroes with pink hair, as she also voices Gwen Stacey in theSpider-Man: Spider-Versefilms. Alongside her isElla Purnellas Jinx, who is well-on-her-way to becoming the undisputed Queen of Video Game Adaptations. Earlier this year, theYellowjacketsstar also led the cast of Prime Video’s massively successfulFalloutseries.
We can expect the core cast ofArcane’s Season 1 to return for Season 2, though whetherJason Spisakwill reprise his role of Silco in any way is yet to be seen. The final scene of Season 1 definitely suggests there will be room for some new characters to enter the fray, but we can be fairly certain we will see Kevin Alejandro as Jayce Talis, Katie Leung as Caitlyn Kiramman,Harry Lloydas Viktor,Toks Olagundoyeas Mel Medarda,Reed Shannonas Ekko, andMick Wingertas Heimerdinger. We can also hopefully welcomeBrett Tuckerofficially as Singed, given he was never formally named in Season 1.
What Happened in ‘Arcane’ Season 1?
Arcaneis a tale of two cities; the wealthy, utopian Piltover, and the poisoned, seedy undercity of Zaun. Separated by the River Pilt, joined only by bridges, the two cities clash repeatedly as the Zaunites struggle in their everyday lives to survive while the wealthy Piltover citizens focus their efforts on innovation, led by Councilor Mel Medarda. Enter elder sister Vi (Played by Hailee Steinfield) and younger sister Powder (Ella Purnell), whose parents were killed by the Piltover Police during a riot, and taken in by the kindly, burly boxing barkeep - Vander.
When Vander is captured by a Zaunite crime lord Silco, an ill-fated mission sees a young Powder accidentally kill Vander and two of her friends when she tries to help with the rescue mission. Thisseparates the sistersfor years and sets them on very different paths. Powder joins Silco as a daughter figure and takes on the pseudonym ‘Jinx’ as her actions mentally disfigure her. Vi forms an unlikely alliance with a member of the Piltover police, Caitlyn (Katie Leung), and whilst all of this is going on, a young innovator named Jayce (Kevin Alejandro) is making a name for himself in politics and the dangerous art of merging magic and technology.
What Can We Expect from ‘Arcane’ Season 2?
Arcaneendedin a striking shot of an emotionally broken Jinx firing a rocket towards the council room, housing the brightest and most powerful minds in Piltover (bar our favorite furry friend - Heimerdinger), including Councilor Medarda. We can only assume, given the first season pulled no punches, that we will see some deaths here. Our money is on Mel biting the bullet over Jayce, since he definitely has more of a story left in him. And his lover dying? That sounds like it could get spicy. We know Vi and Caitlyn are alive and together. We can only imagine where their relationship will go, both as a very likely coupling (even if oil and water don’t mix) and how that will go down with Jinx, who was less than pleased to be replaced in Season 1.
Some fans may expect to see Urgot in the new season with the 2020League of Legendschampion cinematic, which was set to the theme of Imagine Dragons song “Warriors”, and saw the original Vi/Caitlyn team up against him in a place that looked very familiar.
Viktorhas gone back to his undercity roots and found himself with the mad scientist Singed, who we can assume will get more of a spotlight in the coming season. Anyone familiar with game lore knows Viktor is only set to become more powerful, now imbued with the arcane. We can only wait (impatiently) to see how the writers set up the rest of his story.
Ekkoand Heimerdinger have paired off, and we are bound to see some more action from Ekko’s crew of vigilantes, potentially aided by the councilor himself. Now onto fan-favorite theories: Though we only have a teaser trailer so far, eager-eared fans are convinced that Warwick’s heartbeat can be heard in the background. Warwick is one of Singed’s creations, a humanoid-wolf, and many fans are convinced, given his already proven resurrection skills, that Singed will be using Vander as his base for the creature. We can only imagine how this might tie in with Vi and Jinx’s stories.
Some fans also may have noted Singed looking at a picture of a young girl who bears a resemblance to Piltover game character Orianna, a clockwork woman inLeague of Legends. However, this would require some fiddling on Riot’s part with the expansive game lore (but they have done it before). Riot has also just released Zeri as a champion in the game, who is a fellow Zaunite and potential ally of Ekko who, like Ekko, possesses innate magical abilities which the show might (and that’s a big might) explore.
Do You Need to Play ‘League of Legends’ to Watch ‘Arcane’?
No! Despite writer Christian Linke describing the show as a “love letter” to theLeaguecommunity (and we are truly bowled over),Arcaneis an amazing series entirely removed from theLeague of Legendsfranchise. There is absolutely no prior knowledge you need to enjoy it just as much as aLeague of Legendsplayer. In fact, allowing the development of the characters to take you by surprise as much as possible might even give you a better experience of the show as a whole.
Will ‘Arcane’ Get a Season 3?
Sorry,Arcanefans, but Netflix has already confirmed that the hit series will be concluding with Season 2. It’s a bold choice on the part of Netflix, considering how beloved the series has become, but there’s also no shame in wrapping up things while one’s ahead (especially in an age where some shows simply won’t end). We don’t know exactly what’s in store for Vi, Jinx, and the rest ofArcane’s heroes and villains, but there is also a more than probable possibility their stories could continue beyond Season 2’s conclusion.
Speaking of which, don’t worry! Riot’s global president of entertainment,Shauna Spenleyhas revealed thatArcaneisn’t the only story that Riot plans on pursuing with Studio Fortiche. This isn’t too surprising; there are 158 champions inLeague of Legendsand counting, many of whom also have overlapping storylines. She also teased the potential of live-action projects. So whatever they come out with next, you know it’s going to be big, bold, and awesome.Arcanemay be coming to an end, butLeague of Legends' cinematic journey is just getting warmed up.
ArcaneSeason 1 is now available to stream on Netflix.
Set in Utopian Piltover and the oppressed underground of Zaun, the story follows the origins of two iconic League Of Legends champions and the power that will tear them apart.
