The Pitt Season 2 Setting & Time Jump Officially Confirmed By Producer

Fans of "The Pitt," rejoice! We know season 2 is set to premiere in January 2026, and now we also know it's going to center around a specific holiday weekend.

During a panel with Deadline that featured star Noah Wyle, creator R. Scott Gemmill, and executive producer John Wells (though all three of the "ER" veterans actually serve as executive producers), Gemmill said that season 2 of "The Pitt" will take place 10 months after the first season and over a Fourth of July holiday weekend. We also know now that season 1 takes place in early September. (Previously, all we knew for certain is that the first season unfolds at a time that's warm enough outside for a massive festival to be scheduled.)

In addition, it turns out production has already started on season 2 of the hit medical drama (which is, for the millionth time, not an "ER" spin-off despite Wyle, Gemmill, and Wells' involvement). As such, it appears the series should have little trouble holding to its previous promise of returning by January of next year. "The Pitt" is easily one of the best new shows of 2025, so this is all excellent news ... and frankly, setting the second season over the Fourth of July is an incredible next step for the series.

For the first season of "The Pitt," there wasn't really a need to clarify when the story's 15-hour shift (which is expressed in "real time" like on "24") takes place, but frankly, I cannot imagine a better timeframe than a Fourth of July weekend for the follow-up season. There are so many wild avenues that season 2 could explore, and do most of them involve fireworks? Yes, absolutely! The dead of summer in Pittsburgh also gets pretty hot, despite how freezing cold the city can be in winter, so heat stroke is a place to start. Of course, between the aforementioned fireworks, grilling disasters, and even water-related incidents like drowning, there'll be plenty for "The Pitt" to cover when it returns.

What we can expect is that disaster will strike the busy, overcrowded ER where "The Pitt" is set, if the first season is any indication. Throughout Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch's (Noah Wyle) 15-hour shift, he deals with all sorts of horrifying traumas, including a mass shooter incident at the aforementioned festival, dubbed "Pitt Fest," that leaves several people dead despite the staff's attempts to save them. We also know, without any shadow of a doubt, that Wyle will be back as Dr. Robby, but who else will probably return for "The Pitt" season 2?

Unless there are some major "staffing changes" at the fictional Pittsburgh hospital where "The Pitt" is set, we know that season 1's residents will probably return, including Dr. Cassie McKay (Fiona Dourif), Dr. Samira Mohan (Supriya Ganesh), and Dr. Mel King (Taylor Dearden), likely alongside Dr. Trinity Santos (Isa Briones), who's a new intern in season 1. What we don't know is whether or not medical students Victoria Javadi (Shabana Azeez) and Dennis Whitaker (Gerran Howell) will come back as well, though we'll probably see some new faces ... because every year on July 1, new interns join residencies.

During that Deadline panel, Noah Wyle went ahead and basically put out an open casting call, which may well indicate that there will be new residents coming in season 2. "We're calling all pros," Wyle said. "We want people who are good with props and who are used to working in a company, with an ensemble. We want creativity. We want passion. We don't want ego coming to play. We have tremendous people showing up excited."

In any case, John Wells affirmed that the show is an equal opportunity situation for all of its performers, including the background actors. "Guest actors who were on the show worked for months, oftentimes just appearing in the waiting room for a scene or two, and then being in the background and then eventually they have a scene," Wells told the crowd and world at large. "We had wonderful actors who signed on to be background for four or five episodes and then had major scenes. So everybody was on set the entire time, including all of our regulars. The set is so deep and big that we see everything so everybody is there."

"The Pitt" season 2 will, again, premiere in January 2026. The season 1 finale airs on April 10, 2025, on Max at 9 P.M. EST.