Will there be Terminator Zero season 2? Everything we know about Netflix anime’s future

Terminator Zero
(Image credit: Netflix)

Terminator Zero debuted to rave reviews on Netflix, as well as a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score. The new entry in the beloved franchise is an era-spanning story that follows the growth of a rival AI to Skynet, developed in Japan by a man named Malcolm Lee. Called Kokoro, Malcolm devotes the days leading up to Judgement Day to fretting about whether he should bring the AI system live, knowing the power he’d be unleashing on a global scale.

The series brings this all to an intriguing end in a brutal season finale in which the past, present, and future all collide. However, given some of the major revelations that came in the final episode, you’d be forgiven for wondering if there may be more to tell with this story yet… Below we get into all of that, as well as if there have been any teases about a potential season 2 of the Netflix anime as well. Naturally, we’ll be getting into spoilers below too.

If that’s not enough, check out our guides to the best anime to watch right now and the new anime to add to your watch list.

How does Terminator Zero set up season 2? *SPOILERS*

Terminator Zero

(Image credit: Netflix)

In the finale of Terminator Zero, there are some big revelations, which could set up another season of the anime show. We find out that Malcolm Lee is actually a resistance fighter from the future (and the son of Eiko no less) who traveled back in time to develop his rival AI. Having already used a beta version of his tech to make Misaki, he works for years to develop Kokoro to be able to stand against Skynet. 

However, probably one of the biggest reveals is The Terminator’s revelation that Kenta Lee actually sent them back from the future. We don’t find out any more details than that, but it feels like this could be a huge storyline to explore in a second season of the show. The biggest storyline will undoubtedly be what happens next with Kokoro. Where we leave in season 1, the AI is now online and causing trouble for Skynet – so it seems like there is plenty of fuel for more storytelling.

Will there be a Terminator Zero season 2?

Terminator Zero

(Image credit: Netflix)

At the moment, Terminator Zero hasn’t been confirmed for season 2. Netflix makes a decision on these things based on viewership and hours viewed so we’ll be waiting a little while longer to see if it’s renewed for more episodes. 

However, the show’s creator Mattson Tomlin has shared his hopes for its return. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, he said: “I always have to make it personal. It always kind of comes back to being adopted and the Romanian Revolution and all of this stuff that’s built into me. In the event that I get to do multiple seasons, it will be a story that follows these three kids as they grow up through this war that eventually evolves into the future war, and how their various relationships to humans and machines are evolving and are radically different from each other."

While we wait for news on the future of Terminator Zero, check out our guides to the best Netflix shows and the best Netflix movies to watch right now.

Fay Watson
Deputy Entertainment Editor

I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I've also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.