Everything You Need to Know About '13 Reasons Why' Season Two

Netflix has announced an official premiere date.All of the original cast members are expected to reprise their roles.There are seven new characters.No more tapes, and the narrator won't be Hannah.There's definitely a time jump.Minnette emphasized that season two was necessary in order to learn more about Hannah's life.

Last year, Netflix released its controversial mystery drama 13 Reasons Why. The series centers on Hannah Baker, a 17-year-old high school student who commits suicide and leaves behind a set of cassette tapes explaining why she ended her life.

While the show—based off Jay Asher's novel of the same title—prompted an open conversation about suicide and mental health, many critics believe it should have ended after its first season due to its controversy. However, just a little under two months after its season finale, Netflix announced the series had been renewed for a second season. Here, everything you need to know about the next installment of the series.

Netflix has announced an official premiere date.

The cast has finished filming, and the second season is set to premiere Friday, May 18. The spookiest part? In the official trailer, there's a note on the back of a polaroid picture that says, "Hannah wasn't the only one." It seems like the entire season is all about getting justice for Hannah. Watch the official trailer below:

13 Reasons Why: Season 2 | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube

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All of the original cast members are expected to reprise their roles.

This includes Clay Jensen (Dylan Minnette), Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford, who received a Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of Hannah), Tony Padilla (Christian Navarro), Jessica Davis (Alisha Boe), Justin Foley (Brandon Flynn, who's currently dating Sam Smith), Alex Standall (Miles Heizer), and Olivia Baker (Kate Walsh, who you'll recognize as Dr. Addison Montgomery from Grey's Anatomy).

Selena Gomez, who serves as an executive producer, has been open about her own mental health—suffering from anxiety and depression over the years. She confirmed the cast's return in December with an Instagram post captioned, "And this year wraps up with another committed journey with @13reasonswhy - season 2 is coming. To every person on this project, thank you for coming back. Good or bad we are committed to having the tough conversations, to telling the story that can start change."

Gomez also teased a new song that will be featured in the season called, "Back to You."

There are seven new characters.

Netflix revealed Anne Winters, Bryce Cass, Chelsea Alden, Allison Miller, Samantha Logan, Kelli O’Hara, and Ben Lawson will join the cast of season two, though none of them will be series regulars. You can find out more about the characters here.

No more tapes, and the narrator won't be Hannah.

Perhaps the biggest 😱...no more tapes. A new form of technology will be used, according to showrunner Brian Yorkey. "The tapes are still obviously on people’s minds, but there is a different sort of analog technology that plays a hugely important role in season two," he told Entertainment Weekly. "So the cassette tapes aren’t at the center of it—those two boxes of tapes are still hanging around and matter to people—but there will be a new piece of technology for 13-year-olds to Google and try to understand what it was."

We're also expected to see a very different Hannah. “I would prepare fans not to expect the Hannah from season one for a multitude of reasons," says Katherine Langford, who plays Hannah. "It’s funny because I just wrapped and I think a lot of this season for me is about letting Hannah go."

There's definitely a time jump.

Dylan Minnette, who plays Clay, revealed back in August that the show will pick up a couple months after season one left off. "I think people might be a little surprised where Clay is," he says. For a full recap of the first season, you can watch the video below or catch up via Netflix in the meantime.

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Minnette emphasized that season two was necessary in order to learn more about Hannah's life.

"It would have been weird to end Hannah’s story in season one because we only heard very small tidbits of her life told by her," Minnette told Seventeen in January. "There’s a whole life that Hannah had, and there’s more we can learn about her. Overall, learning more about her is more important to the entire narrative."

This post will be updated as we learn more details about season two.