Abhiroop Das
Created by Piet Matthys, Nico Moolenaar, and Bart Uytdenhouwen, Netflix’s ‘Amsterdam Empire‘ steps into Amsterdam‘s bustling cannabis scene, with Jack Van Doorn leading the largest coffeeshop chain known as The Jackal. When news of his affair with popular television host Marjolein Hoffman becomes public, Jack seeks a clean exit from his marriage to Betty Jonkers, a former songstress and fashion icon. But Betty refuses to back down without putting up a fight, and instead asks in return for the one thing her husband can never give up, his business empire. The inaugural season concludes with Betty assuming control of The Jackal after eliminating the criminal gang known as Tichelaars. However, with the cold war between her and Jack still raging on, the story has a lot more left in the tank. Although Netflix has not greenlit a sequel as of writing, in the best-case scenario, fans of this Crime Drama series can expect a second season sometime around 2027.
Season 2 of Amsterdam Empire Will Likely Follow Betty’s Adventures as The Jackal’s New Owner
Given that the first season ends with Betty’s triumph over Jack, it is natural for a potential continuation of the story to shed light on how she governs things as the new owner of The Jackal. While Jack ruled the entire cannabis industry with an iron fist for decades, Betty brings in a breath of fresh air and has proven herself perfectly capable of not just managing the company but also expanding its horizons. However, it is unlikely for her ex-husband to give up so quickly, and the future might find them at each other’s throats once again. There is also the lingering threat of the Tichelaars, as while the core members of the crew are all dead, the possibility of surviving factions cannot be ruled out. As such, a possible sequel might see the return of the underworld gang, eager to take revenge for the death of their leader.
Although Jack survives the gunshot wound, his life is at an all-time low by the end of the season. Not only does the business tycoon lose control of The Jackal, but his relationship with Marjolein also comes to an end in light of his criminal connections. To that end, if a season 2 is greenlit, the series might tap into the relationship end of things, with Jack potentially trying to reconnect with Marjolein or developing new connections along the way. However, the fact that Betty knows the truth about Guido’s death means that Jack can never rest in peace, as she always has the option to pressure him into doing her bidding. Furthermore, if the case ever gets picked up for a reinvestigation, there is a good chance that Jack’s involvement will come to light, and that has the potential to bring every narrative thread to ruin.
Season 2 of Amsterdam Empire Can Expect Familiar Faces to Return
The first season’s whirlwind ending leaves plenty of room for many character trajectories to continue in a possible sequel, and, in the best-case scenario, fans can expect the leads of ‘Amsterdam Empire’ to reprise their roles. While Famke Janssen and Jacob Derwig are very likely to step into the roles of Betty Jonkers and Jack Van Doorn once again, the extent of actor Elise Schaap’s potential return to the story remains up in the air, given her character breaking ties with Jack. By contrast, there is a good chance that actors Jade Olieberg and Romana Vrede might have a prominent role in the future continuations of the show, as Katya Van Doorn and Shanti, respectively. The same might hold true for Victor Löw, whose character, Bolle, is likely to remain a wild-card presence in the story, capable of tipping the odds any way he wishes.
While the main characters survive the series of life-threatening ordeals, the same cannot be said for some of the supporting characters, making their return to the story a slim possibility. Raymond Thirty, a prominent actor in the Netherlands, most likely won’t reprise his role as Guido in the story due to the character’s tragic death. But, given that the investigation into his passing still has a lot to offer, Thirty might return in the form of a flashback. The same, however, is unlikely to hold true in the case of actors Bart Slegers and Jelle Mensink, whose antagonistic characters, Gijs and Noud Tichelaar, die in the season finale. Instead, a potential sequel might give way to new figures from the Tichelaar family, with fresh faces joining the cast.
Season 2 of Amsterdam Empire Might Take on Jack’s Redemption Arc
By the end of the season finale, Betty, Jack, and Marjolein all emerge as transformed individuals with a more concrete sense of right and wrong. This, in turn, forces them into picking sides, and a potential sequel might follow them more closely on their respective journeys. For Betty, owning The Jackal comes as a way to break free of her suffocating lifestyle and find something she feels truly passionate about. Notably, given the narrative emphasis on her psyche still being tethered to her days as a pop star, the new set of responsibilities might come into conflict with her existing belief system. However, Jack might be on the exact opposite trajectory, where a string of failures forces him to reevaluate his life choices. In such a scenario, a possible season 2 might either see him double down on his previous mistakes or mend his relationships and steer clear from his criminal affiliations, even if that means bidding goodbye to a life of exuberance.
Unlike Betty and Jack, who exit the season with a grand takeaway, Marjolein merely steps out of the game and returns to her previous lifestyle. To that end, a continuation of the story might explore her struggles with acclimatizing to the changed circumstances. The fact that she is a renowned television personality only adds to the troubles, and the show can potentially bring up the subject of media and how information about a person can be twisted during circulation. In the same vein, Jack’s daughter, Katya, is on a path towards emotional and psychological recovery, but the trauma of taking a life is unlikely to go away so soon. As such, if the show is greenlit for another season, Katya might pick a side between following in her father’s footsteps or exiting the realm of bloodshed and conspiracy to find her own space in life.
Read More: Amsterdam Empire: Is The Jackal Based on a Real Coffeeshop Chain?
