It has been over two years since Julie and the Phantoms was canceled by Netflix after one well-received season. Despite how much time has passed, rumors recently arose that the show may still be saved.
Julie and the Phantoms is based on the Brazilian TV series Julie e os Fantasmas and follows the story of Julie Molina (Madison Reyes), a high school student and aspiring musician who has difficulty rediscovering her passion for music after the loss of her mother. One day, she accidentally summons the members of Sunset Curve, a deceased boy band from the 1990s. The ghost boys help her rediscover her love for music, while Julie helps them become the band they never got to be when they were living.
The musical dramedy drew attention for its heartfelt and unique premise. With good music, ghosts, and a wholesome story, it is difficult to find anything to dislike about Julie and the Phantoms. At the 2021 Daytime Emmy Awards, the show received over a dozen nominations, ultimately taking home three wins. Given that season 1 ended on a cliffhanger and received stellar reviews, viewers expected more seasons to follow.
Is Julie and the Phantoms renewed for season 2?
Unfortunately, Julie and the Phantoms was not renewed for season 2. Over a year after its release, Netflix made the shocking decision to cancel the show after just one season. It became one of many highly popular Netflix shows, like Archive 81, 1899, and I Am Not Okay With This, to be brutally axed after one season.
A reason was never provided for Julie and the Phantoms‘ cancellation. The news was confirmed by the show’s executive producer, Kenny Ortega, who stated only that the show hadn’t been picked up for another season. Many speculated that it simply didn’t receive strong enough viewership to warrant a second season. Still, the show’s fans fought to save it, launching a petition to campaign for its renewal. However, after all these years, many have given up hope of saving the show.
Many were likely surprised, then, when rumors of Julie and the Phantoms‘ season 2 renewal suddenly resurfaced. The rumors started when news broke that Ortega had switched talented agencies. The news also revealed that his original deal with Netflix had expired. Since part of that deal included Julie and the Phantoms, the end of it raised questions of whether that meant he was free to move forward with the show with a different production company.
The next piece of evidence fans compiled is a bit of a stretch. However, on April 2, Ortega posted a picture of his dog, Willie, with the caption, “I’ll be right back Willie …” Since Booboo Stewart’s character was named Willie in Julie and the Phantoms, many commenters believe Ortega was subtly teasing the show’s return.
Additionally, Instagram users noticed that Ortega’s bio tags Julie and the Phantoms‘ official Instagram page, with many claiming he only just added the tag to his profile. On top of that, several cast and crew members started posting about the show for the first time in a while. Even lead star Madison Reyes referenced Julie and the Phantoms while teasing her new music. The post sent social media tail spinning to the point Reyes followed up with a joke about how fans are even convincing her that season 2 is happening.
While the fandom’s theories are starting to get convincing, they are still just theories. There is no concrete evidence or indication that Julie and the Phantoms season 2 is happening. However, the confirmation that interest in the show is alive raises hope that perhaps it still could be revived or receive a movie to wrap it up.
(featured image: Netflix)
