‘Man on Fire’ Star Finally Speaks Out on Season 2 Chances of Netflix Denzel Remake

Netflix’s ‘Man on Fire’ only just dropped its full first season, and already the conversation has turned to whether John Creasy will return. Star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has weighed in, and his answer is both enthusiastic and carefully measured.

Speaking to ScreenRant, the actor said he could see himself playing the character for a long time, but made it clear that quality has to come first.

“Could be him for a long time,” he told the outlet. “Yeah, I actually have thought about it, which means that you got to find a good reason to do it, and you got to really, at least, like it. I always have to love everything I do, but you’ve got to at least like it. And this John Creasy is an incredible character. This has been an amazing opportunity, and who knows what’s going to happen with it? I don’t really find it beneficial to myself to think about that so much. But I’m excited about what we’ve made thus far, and excited to put that out into the world. And anything else happens, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it” he said.

Netflix has not yet officially confirmed a second season, though the show launched to strong global numbers, debuting as the number one title on the platform in 46 countries by its second day of availability.

Critics were more divided, with the series landing at 55 percent on Rotten Tomatoes based on 20 reviews, with praise for Abdul-Mateen II’s performance but criticism of the story’s pacing and plausibility. Audience scores tell a warmer story, sitting at 73 percent on the same platform.

The season finale leaves the door wide open for another chapter, ending with a CIA director presenting Creasy with a lead on the people behind what happened to him in Mexico City, a setup that strongly implies a second season would head there next. The first season drew from both Quinnell’s original 1980 novel and its 1992 follow-up ‘The Perfect Kill’, with three more books in the series still available as source material.

Netflix first ordered the adaptation back in March 2023, with Abdul-Mateen II joining in June 2024 and filming commencing later that year, including a production pause after the actor sustained an injury on set in Mexico City. The series was created and written entirely by Kyle Killen, with ‘Creed II’ director Steven Caple Jr. helming the first two episodes.

This marks Abdul-Mateen II’s second series premiere this year, following the January debut of ‘Wonder Man’ on Disney Plus, which has already been renewed for a second season. Whether ‘Man on Fire’ follows the same path will likely depend on viewing figures over the coming weeks, with Netflix typically making renewal decisions within a month or two of release.

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