The first official clip for Arcane season 2 has finally arrived – and it seems the character known as Singed is preparing to unleash a brand-new, terrifying villain on Piltover and Zaun.
Revealed as part of Riot Games' 2024 YouTube update for its incredibly popular League of Legends (LoL) franchise, the first teaser clip for season 2 of Arcane – the hugely successful Netflix series that's based on LoL – was released online today (January 5). And, I don't know about you, but it's got me pumped for the steampunk action-adventure series' return.
Check out the first official look at Arcane season 2 below:
There's not a whole lot to be gleaned from the first-look clip, but it reveals Singed – the brilliant Zaunite scientist who created the drug known as Shimmer in season 1 – will be back for the show's next installment.
Not only that, it appears he's infusing a mysterious new character with his blood (or vice versa). Is the haunting individual, who hangs above Singed in an undisclosed location, none other than Vander, Vi and Jinx's surrogate father who – spoilers – died in season 1's first act? The character hanging from the ceiling certainly has a similar physique to Vander.
In short: no, it isn't – and LoL fans won't need any a second guess to work out who it is. It's Warwick, a wolf-like monster who, according to LoL's official website, "hunts the gray alleys of Zaun. Transformed by agonizing experiments, his body is fused with an intricate system of chambers and pumps, machinery filling his veins with alchemical rage. Bursting out of the shadows, he preys upon those criminals who terrorize the city's depths. Warwick is drawn to blood, and driven mad by its scent. None who spill it can escape him."
It's possible that Riot and Netflix could have refashioned Warwick's origins (and LoL lore by proxy) to fit into a major season 1 fan theory, however, with viewers suggesting Vander could be turned into Warwick by Singed a ways down the road. If that winds up being the case, Vander's return as a monstrous entity would surely cause unresolved trauma to re-emerge in Vi and Jinx. Either way, expect Warwick to be a fearsome new foe for Arcane's heroes to face off against.
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
It's been a long wait for Arcane season 2's first footage to debut online. The show's first entry debuted on Netflix way back in November 2021, and proved to be a huge hit for the world's best streaming service.
Unsurprisingly, a second season was greenlit hours after season 1's final three episodes were released in late November 2021. However, given the animated series' unexpected popularity in the weeks post-release, Riot, Netflix, and animation studio Fortiche didn't actually start development until the first season had launched in full, leading to a lengthy wait for LoL and Arcane fans for its next entry.
Finally, in November 2023 – two years after its predecessor ended– Netflix confirmed Arcane season 2 would arrive in November 2024. At the time, it was still a year away from airing on the streaming giant but, with 2024 rolling around days ago, the countdown is well and truly on for the return of one of the best Netflix shows ever made.
You might also like
As TechRadar's senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You'll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.
An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as this Moon Knight TV spot.
Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across. Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.