Noughts + Crosses season 2 - here's whether the show will return, and what might happen to the characters
Noughts + Crosses spoilers follow.
The BBC adaptation of Noughts + Crosses made quite a huge change to its ending. By choosing not to tear Sephy Hadley (Masali Baduza) and Callum McGregor (Jack Rowan) apart under the same tragic circumstances as the book, the series created an alternative timeline for the story first made famous by Malorie Blackman's novels. Among other things, this has left even more threads open for exploration in season two.
As things stand, it has not yet been confirmed whether we'll get a second instalment of the series on BBC One (but as one of our favourite TV shows of 2020 so far, we're hoping it will be back).
However we do know that the story spans five books, so there is plenty more source material to work with. Those involved in the show have also already discussed the possibility of further expanding the televised version.
Related: Why Noughts + Crosses made a mistake by changing its ending
Masali Baduza – who plays Sephy – has shared her hope of being able to finish the story on screen, and Peaky Blinders star Jack Rowan, who has taken on the role of Callum, has also revealed that he would be on board for a return to the fictional world that has been expertly created by the series.
Going back to that alternative ending, we now know that Jack's continued involvement would be a possibility because, contrary to the book, Callum was still alive at the end of the adapted version of Noughts + Crosses.
Instead of being ruthlessly executed for his role in kidnapping Sephy, Callum was able to escape along with her. Leaving things on a cliffhanger, the final scene saw them on the run and awaiting the birth of their baby.
The two main character actors have acknowledged the "incredibly emotional" and "heartbreaking" moment from the books that we did not get to see in season one of the TV show. "It would be good to get there," they told Cosmopolitan UK, indicating that this would play out in future seasons.
This would of course mean that the timeline of events has been altered for the show. Callum never got the chance to meet his daughter, Callie Rose, in the books – he instead sacrificed his life, turning down the offer of blackmail from Sephy's father who had said he would spare his life if he convinced Sephy to have an abortion.
Depending on the point at which a Noughts + Crosses season two picks up, fans might finally get to see Callum as a father before he dies, marking yet another change.
In the second book, Knife Edge, a heartbroken Sephy was living with Callum's mother Meggie. Callum's prison guard delivered Sephy a letter which was written by Callum before he died, claiming that he had never loved her.
Readers of the first book knew this not to be true, as Callum had shouted words of love to Sephy just before he was hanged. But she believed the letter's hateful words and it pushed her further into a downward spiral.
As for Callum's brother Jude, the Noughts + Crosses TV series left a big question mark over whether or not he survived the final showdown with Jack Dorn (the boss of the the Liberation Militia organisation). In the final episode, we heard a gunshot but did not see who, if anyone, was on the receiving end.
In the book Knife Edge, Jude was very much still in the picture and holding onto a lot of blame towards Sephy for his brother Callum's death. He befriended a Cross by the name of Cara as part of a plan to get money and revenge, but then ended up developing feelings for her. After he lashed out and killed her, it was Sephy that helped him.
It is unclear how much of these plot points would make it into a second season of the TV adaptation, but with author Malorie Blackman directly involved in the on-screen version we'd expect the series to remain true to the story (even if there's a few more changes in place).
All that's left now is to find out whether we will in fact be seeing a second run.
Your move, BBC.
Noughts + Crosses airs on BBC One, and the full series is also available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
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