Sanctuary: A Witch's Tale Season 2: Release date, cast & characters, Where to watch and more

Blending folklore, social tension, and small-town paranoia, Sanctuary: A Witch's Tale season 2 returns to a world where fear once again threatens to outweigh reason. Based on the novel by V. V. James, the AMC+ series imagines a world where witches have lived openly for centuries, accepted as part of everyday life—until a single violent incident turns trust into suspicion overnight.

Season 1 centered on Sarah Fenn, a respected witch, and her teenage daughter Harper, whose lives are torn apart when a young boy’s death sparks a modern witch hunt in their seemingly peaceful English town. What followed was a chilling portrait of how quickly communities turn on the “other” when grief and anger take hold.

Now, Sanctuary: A Witch's Tale season 2 is set to raise the stakes even higher. Picking up one year after the devastating events of the first season, the story expands beyond Sanctuary itself, exploring the wider consequences of fear-driven laws, rising hate crimes, and a new mystery that refuses to stay buried.

Release details for Sanctuary: A Witch's Tale Season 2 

AMC+ will premiere Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale season 2 on December 25, 2025, at 12 am PT/3 am ET, making it a Christmas Day release. The second season consists of six episodes, with new episodes rolling out weekly on the platform. AMC+ remains the primary home for the series in the United States.

Ahead of the new season, the first season of Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale is also arriving on Netflix in multiple regions starting December 26, including the United States and the United Kingdom. The Netflix release gives new viewers a chance to catch up before season 2 unfolds on AMC+.

For fans planning to watch in order, season 1 will be available on both AMC+ and Netflix, while Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale season 2 will stream exclusively on AMC+ at launch.

Cast and characters returning in Season 2

Elaine Cassidy returns as Sarah Fenn in Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale season 2, the emotional core of the series. Sarah begins season 2 in hiding, living quietly in Scotland with Harper as anti-witch laws spread across the U.K. Cassidy’s performance continues to ground the show, portraying a woman caught between protecting her child and confronting the damage left behind in Sanctuary.

Hazel Doupe reprises her role as Harper Fenn, whose abilities and trauma deepen in the new season. Season 2 positions her as an active force, grappling with the consequences of her magic and the moral weight of what she has already done.

Amy De Bhrún returns as Abigail Whithall, whose grief-driven actions in season 1 fueled the witch hunt. Though the town has moved forward in appearance, Abigail’s presence remains a reminder of how personal loss can transform into collective violence.

Stephanie Levi-John is back as DCI Maggie Knight, the investigator once tasked with keeping order in Sanctuary. With another murder shaking the town, Maggie faces renewed pressure as fear resurfaces.

The ensemble also includes returning performances from Valerie O’Connor, Kelly Campbell, and Stephen Lord.

What is Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale Season 2 all about

The supernatural drama series Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale season 2 opens a year after the violent events of the first season. The synopsis for the upcoming season, as per AMC Networks’ press release, reads:

“Season two picks up a year after the witch hunt, as Sarah (Elaine Cassidy) and Harper (Hazel Doupe) hide in Scotland as anti-witch laws spark hate crimes. When Sarah returns to Sanctuary, a new murder and rising tensions pull her into a dangerous fight to protect her daughter and her magic.”

Sarah and Harper are living off the grid in Scotland, attempting to disappear as anti-witch sentiment grows nationwide. Hate crimes and restrictive laws suggest that Sanctuary’s collapse was not an isolated event, but part of something larger.

Their fragile safety ends when Sarah is forced to return to Sanctuary. A new murder has taken place, and the town is once again looking for someone to blame. The trailer makes it clear that the old wounds never healed. Sanctuary remains divided, fearful, and ready to repeat its mistakes.

This season expands its focus to the four central women whose lives are tied to a shared secret. Power dynamics shift as some characters attempt to control magic, while others fear it entirely. Sarah finds herself trapped between those who see her as a weapon and those who see her as a threat.

Harper’s storyline takes a darker turn. The trailer hints at her experimenting with magic in ways that even Sarah does not fully understand. A tense moment shows Sarah asking her daughter what she has done, suggesting that Harper’s abilities may no longer be fully contained.

Additionally, the trailer promises a lot of magic on display in the upcoming installment and an intriguing murder mystery that may unravel everything for Sarah and the other witches. 

Sanctuary: A Witch's Tale season 2 will premiere its first episode on AMC+ this Christmas.