War Sailor is a three-part Norwegian Netflix limited series from Gunnar Vikene, the writer-director of 2022’s War Sailor, a feature film telling the same story about stranded working-class sailors getting embroiled in World War 2.
Primarily concerning the friendship between two sailors stuck aboard a merchant vessel in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, and how that dynamic plays out before, during, and after the conflict, this is a humane but unevenly paced and structured drama that combines wartime horrors with a more specifically human kind.
From our review:
It’s a handsome production, at least. The material is treated with respect by capable actors who play mostly ordinary folks stuck in extraordinary circumstances, forced to endure – or at least believably depict – a myriad of extreme emotions. The hook is there. The end goal is visible. There’s just no hurry to connect the two.
Here’s everything we know about a potential follow-up.
Will there be a War Sailor Season 2 on Netflix?
Renewed or canceled status: TBC
War Sailor was billed by Netflix as a limited series, meaning it was only intended to run for three episodes.
This makes sense, especially since the same story has already been told, by the same person, in a feature film. The events depicted in the series form a complete narrative arc and, while there was some ambiguity in the War Sailor Season 1 ending, it was a deliberate, tasteful ambiguity that would actually be harmed by more exploration of these characters.
With all of this having been said, it seems incredibly unlikely that War Sailor will be renewed for a second season, even if it ends up being extremely popular, which in this case it might.
However, there may still be some milage in the concept. The idea of everyday people being caught up in a global conflict is compelling, and there are many stories like this one that could still be told. Vikene could even stick with the same general premise and maritime focus by following different sailors and their experiences during the war, but this would probably seem like wringing a good idea for all its worth.
As far as we’re concerned, War Stories Season 2 will not be renewed for a second season, but we’ll keep this article updated with any new information as we get it.
