Netflix Faces Jeopardy in Keeping Jenna Ortega in 'Wednesday'

Netflix will be facing several challenges in keeping Jenna Ortega around as Wednesday Addams for the long-term future.

Netflix’s hit series Wednesday is gearing up for its highly anticipated second season, and it’s poised to become the streaming giant’s next major programming highlight. With the announcement that Stranger Things will conclude with its upcoming fifth season, Wednesday is set to fill the void left by the beloved sci-fi show.

The Duffer Brothers’ Stranger Things has been a monumental success for Netflix, capturing the hearts of viewers worldwide with its nostalgic ’80s references, supernatural mysteries, and a cast of fun and relatable characters. As the show reaches its conclusion, Netflix is looking to Wednesday to maintain and possibly expand its dedicated fan base.

As Jenna Ortega takes on the role of Wednesday Addams for a second season, she is set to become a central figure in Netflix’s content strategy. Jenna Ortega’s rising star power and versatile acting skills make her a valuable asset for the streaming giant. However, her growing popularity and busy schedule can and will present challenges, particularly as Netflix attempts to move forward with the idea of multiple more seasons of Wednesday.

Inside Netflix’s challenges to keep Jenna Ortega in Wednesday

As ScreenRant recently pointed out, Netflix is hoping for the “long game” with Jenna Ortega and Wednesday, but that could be in jeopardy as her filmography expands and her career reaches new heights.

“Jenna Ortega certainly seems up for the challenge of tackling the role of Wednesday for season 2, but it will be interesting to see how long that continues,” the publication points out. “Netflix couldn’t afford to lose Wednesday or the series star, but the plot will need to go beyond the high school setting and dive into deeper storylines if it wants to fulfill Ortega’s growing potential.”

Ortega is reportedly set to make $250,000 per episode during Wednesday Season 2, and we can imagine that this number will continue to rise as more seasons are planned. While the pay will continue to increase, it has to be noted that there are other factors in play.

Ortega has already found success working in full-length featured movies, which don’t require quite as long filming time and can be just as lucrative, so this presents yet another challenge for Netflix to keep her for the long term. This is only compounded when you take into account the fact that Season 2 will be filmed in Ireland, which will take up more of the star’s time.

The truth of the matter is that, for Wednesday to surpass Stranger Things and replace it as the flag-bearer for the company, Netflix must find a way to make the television series a long-term success, and this includes keeping Jenna Ortega.

The company was able to do so for five seasons with Millie Bobby Brown in Stranger Things, but there has already been a different surge of popularity and demand surrounding Jenna Ortega and what projects might be available to her in the future.

The actress hasn’t issued any official comments on how long she plans to continue playing the role of Wednesday Addams, but it’s clear that Netflix has its hands full as it looks past Season 2 and ahead to the future of the already-beloved franchise.

How many seasons of Wednesday do you think Netflix will make? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments!