Ancient Apocalypse S1 – Picture: Netflix
The controversial yet popular documentary series Ancient Apocalypse has been renewed for a season 2 at Netflix, What’s on Netflix has learned.
First released on Netflix on November 10th, 2022, the series became one of the most popular documentaries of the year for Netflix despite releasing much later in the year. According to FlixPatrol numbers (ranked and listed here), the documentary series was the sixth most popular of the year with 2,339 points.
The first season, which lasted eight episodes, examined theories regarding an advanced Ice Age civilization that was ultimately destroyed in a cataclysm. It has traveled the world, exploring ancient locations in countries like the United States, Turkey, Indonesia, Malta, Mexico, and Turkey.
Aided by appearances on podcasts like the Joe Rogan Experience, Graham Hancock has grown a substantial fanbase over the years and an equally substantial list of detractors.
Indeed, the Society for American Archaeology criticized the first season, publishing a letter addressed to Bela Bajaria and Rachel Corp to reclassify the documentary series as fiction. Hancock responded to the criticism by saying on X, “Archaeologists and their friends in the media are spitting nails about my Ancient Apocalypse series on Netflix and want me canceled…” and posted a full rebuttal on his website on January 30th, 2023.
The show featured in the global top 10s for a week, picking up 24.62 million hours watched between November 13th and November 20th.
The series continued to be popular throughout 2023, too. According to the two Netflix Engagement Reports, the show had 51.4 million viewing hours globally throughout the year, equating to 12.1 million views.
Ben Kelly is the commissioner of the Netflix series. ITN Productions is behind the series.
Through numerous online profiles, we’ve learned that production is underway on a new season of the documentary series, with some working on the series as early as March 2023.
Netflix declined to comment on this renewal.
Update – June 15th, 2024 —Following the publication of this report, Graham Hancock declined to comment on the show’s renewal. In addition, Hancock asked that a full rebuttal to the SAA open letter posted on his website be linked in addition to the post on X in the “interests of fairness and balance.” This has now been included.
Will you check out Ancient Apocalypse when it returns for a second season on Netflix? Let us know in the comments.
