Man on Fire season 2 already seems like a safe bet following impressive Netflix debut

Whenever a new show premieres on Netflix and you binge-watch all the episodes, that’s when the nerve-racking wait for the news of its fate begins. The streaming service has gained a reputation to have an itchy finger when it comes to canceling show, but more often than not, Netflix renews its original series when they post sizable ratings, and that’s what Man on Fire just did.

Based on the book of the same name by A.J. Quinnell, Man on Fire comes from creator Kyle Killen and stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as John Creasy. An ex-mercenary who’s going through PTSD after what he’s been through, John is now out for revenge and redemption, putting him right back in the line of fire. But after the first season premiered on Netflix, is season 2 in the cards?

Man on Fire debuts with impressive ratings on Netflix

The seven-episode first season of Man on Fire premiered on April 30, and after only four days on the platform, the new action-thriller made quite the impact. Netflix announced the Global Top 10 English-Language TV Shows ranking for the week of April 27-May 3, which featured Man on Fire in the No. 1 position with 11 million views and 61 million hours viewed. Those are great numbers!

For a new series to debut not only at No. 1 globally but to also attract those kinds of viewership numbers is an amazing start. It’s not as big as the debuts of some of Netflix more popular original series, but it’s much bigger than The Night Agent season 3’s debut frame back in February.

The established spy thriller dropped with 8.4 million views and 73.2 million hours viewed (the latter number being larger than Man on Fire’s based on the larger episode count and runtime).

Obviously, it’s hard to predict whether a new Netflix show will be renewed with viewership data for only it’s first week announced, but Man on Fire has already proven that it has some demand and can stand up next to the streamer’s other hit shows of the action-thriller genre.

In the United States, the series remains at No. 2 in the Top 10 (as of May 8), meaning after week on the platform, it’s still growing and grabbing new viewers. The ratings should definitely increase in week 2.

Netflix typically tracks the viewership data for its original series for about a month and even up to 90 days before announcing renewal decisions, though there have been instances in the past where renewals were revealed after only a few days. If Man on Fire continues to build on its great returns so far, there’s no doubt that Netflix won’t waste time in renewing the show for season 2.

Beyond the viewership and ratings figures playing a part in the renewal decision, the Man on Fire season 1 finale clearly put pieces in place to set up a second season. After tying up the loose ends of his previous mission, Creasy receives a new mission assignment that further connect to his dark past. The story could very easily continue following Creasy in what’s ahead.

We’ll have to continue waiting patiently to learn the fate of Man on Fire, but its debut on Netflix has already set up the new thriller series for a bright future. Stay tuned for more news and updates on the hot new Netflix original series!