Alright, Rebus fans, let’s talk about the show that’s got us all hooked! The BBC’s gritty take on Ian Rankin’s legendary detective series dropped a killer first season in 2024, and now we’re all dying to know what’s next for Detective Sergeant John Rebus. With Season 2 officially confirmed, we’ve rounded up everything we know so far—release date guesses, cast vibes, and plot predictions.
Rebus Season 2 Potential Release Date
So, when’s it landing? Season 1 hit BBC One and iPlayer on May 17, 2024, after filming kicked off in spring 2023 and wrapped later that year. It took a few months to polish it up for release. If Season 2 follows a similar vibe, they might start shooting in early 2026, aiming for a release around late 2025 or maybe summer 2026. We are betting on a fall 2026 drop, with all episodes likely hitting BBC iPlayer for a binge-fest, plus weekly airings on BBC One and BBC Scotland.
Rebus Season 2 Expected Cast
The cast of Rebus is a huge reason it’s so darn good, and we’re expecting most of the gang to return. Here’s the lowdown on who we think we’ll see:
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Richard Rankin as John Rebus
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Lucie Shorthouse as Siobhan Clarke
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Stuart Bowman as Ger Cafferty
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Amy Manson as Rhona Moncrieffe
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Brian Ferguson as Michael Rebus
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Others: We might see Neshla Caplan as Chrissie, Michael’s wife, or Mia McKenzie as Sammy, Rebus’s daughter. New faces could pop up too—Rankin’s books have no shortage of shady characters to pull from.
Rebus Season 2 Potential Plot
Okay, let’s get into the juicy stuff—what’s Season 2 gonna be about? If you haven’t finished Season 1, we will keep things vague to avoid ruining it, but there are some big threads left hanging. Here’s what we are expecting:
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That Shocking Season 1 Ending: The finale left us with a brutal murder tied to some shady dealings. Rebus is gonna be digging into Edinburgh’s dark corners to figure out who’s behind it, and it’s not gonna be pretty.
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Family Drama: Rebus’s relationship with his brother Michael is a mess after Michael’s risky choices. Will Rebus track him down? Protect him? Or turn him in? It’s classic Rebus, torn between family and the law.
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Rebus vs. Cafferty, Round 2: The tension between Rebus and gangster Cafferty is electric. They’ve got this weird respect-hate thing going, and we are betting we’ll see more mind games and power plays.
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Rebus’s Personal Life: Our guy’s not exactly winning at relationships. His ex-wife Rhona and daughter Sammy are dealing with their own pain, and Rebus’s bad habits (and that messy affair) aren’t helping. Expect more emotional gut-punches.
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New Crimes: Season 1 mixed original stories with vibes from Ian Rankin’s books. Season 2 might pull from novels like Knots and Crosses or Resurrection Men, or keep going with a fresh tale. Either way, expect gritty cases, Edinburgh’s drug scene, and some moral gray areas.
The show’s modern setting gives it room to tackle today’s issues—think corruption, politics, or even social divides—while staying true to Rebus’s world. It’s gonna be raw, real, and full of that Scottish grit we love.
