The hit Apple TV+ series Bad Monkey is coming back for a second season, but not in the way fans expected. Instead of jumping straight into adapting Carl Hiaasen’s sequel novel Razor Girl, the show is taking a different path. Vince Vaughn, who plays the sharp-tongued Andrew Yancy, has confirmed that Season 2 will be an original origins story. This decision comes with a clear reason tied to the books and the characters viewers have grown to love.
Why Season 2 Won’t Adapt ‘Razor Girl’ Right Away
For those who have read Hiaasen’s work, the expectation was that the second season would follow the events of Razor Girl, the 2016 sequel. However, Vaughn explained at the SXSW festival that the upcoming season is an “interim one, in between” the two novels.
The core issue is structure. The first season of Bad Monkey wrapped up its story without any major loose threads. It ended exactly where the first book ended. There is no natural bridge leading directly into Razor Girl. The creative team, led by showrunner Bill Lawrence, felt that making a sudden leap straight into the sequel would feel jarring for the audience.
Vaughn also shared that adapting Razor Girl remains the long-term plan, provided the second season performs well. But to get there, the show needs to build a bridge. This original season will serve as that connection, allowing the story to flow more naturally into the events of the sequel later on.
Showrunner Bill Lawrence Explains the Creative Choice
The decision to pause the book adaptation comes down to more than just plot mechanics; it is also about the characters. Razor Girl introduces new characters and focuses on a different set of stories. If the show had adapted it directly, several fan-favorite characters from Season 1 would have been pushed to the sidelines or reduced to very small roles.
Showrunner Bill Lawrence addressed this directly, explaining that the novel is “kind of a break from the characters of the first book.” The team wanted to keep the cast that audiences connected with “more front and center” in the second season. By creating an original story, they can keep actors like Natalie Martinez (Rosa) and John Ortiz (Rogelio) involved in the main plot rather than losing them to a different story.
“Razor Girl is a great novel for people who want to read it, but it’s kind of a break from the characters of the first book and we wanted to have some of the characters from the first season more front and center in the second. Season 2 is an original story, but we’re all Carl Hiaasen aficionados — and, also, Carl consults on the show and has been helping us a ton.” – Bill Lawrence, Showrunner
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What to Expect in the New Season: Cast and Filming Details
Even though the story is original, the world of Bad Monkey remains intact. Production for Season 2 kicked off in November 2025. While the show is set in Florida, filming has shifted mostly to California to accommodate the schedules of the producers, specifically Bill Lawrence, who lives there. However, the production is still shooting exterior scenes in Florida to maintain the authentic Keys atmosphere.
The cast is a mix of familiar faces and exciting new additions. Vince Vaughn returns as Andrew Yancy, joined by returning regulars Natalie Martinez (Rosa), John Ortiz (Rogelio), and Charlotte Lawrence (Caitlin).
New cast members joining for Season 2 include:
- John Malkovich playing Spencer, described as the leader of a major criminal organization in South Florida
- Yvonne Strahovski playing a County State Attorney
- Brent Morin, Peter Billingsley, and June Diane Raphael in recurring roles
David Dobkin, who directed Wedding Crashers, has also stepped in to direct several episodes of the new season.
With filming already in progress, an official release date has not been set yet, but audiences can likely expect the new season to arrive on Apple TV+ sometime in late 2026.
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