Netflix’s ‘Little House on the Prairie’ Season 2 gets major production update
It’s official: ‘Little House on the Prairie’ is back to work! Season 2 has started shooting, according to the show’s official Instagram, which posted some behind-the-scenes photos. In the photos, Laura (Alice Halsey), Mary (Skywalker Hughes), Pa (Luke Bracey), and Ma (Crosby Fitzgerald) are all bundled up in their frontier clothes, holding their umbrellas and making their way down a rain-soaked set on a shoot day. The caption read, “Rain or shine, we’re out here filming!” which means that filming on the next chapter is officially underway. Notably, this is the quickest turnaround since the Season 1 finale, released on July 9, and the Ingalls clan is already back. But it is hardly surprising given that Netflix renewed the series for Season 2 months before Season 1 even aired. 3DVF reports that shooting began in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and should continue through mid-October, which was the typical shoot run for Season 1.
Now this is the section every book-reading ‘Little House’ fan was probably waiting for. ‘Little House on the Prairie’ Season 2 will feature Laura Ingalls Wilder’s fourth novel, ‘On the Banks of Plum Creek,’ which takes the Ingalls family from Independence, Kansas, to Walnut Grove, Minnesota. For people who know the lore of the ‘Little House,’ they will also know that this location is the heart of the franchise and will be a huge event in the story moving forward. And, of course, Walnut Grove means one very important new arrival: Nellie Oleson. Willa Dunn, who starred as Loretta in ‘Only Murders in the Building,’ is making an appearance as Laura’s most iconic rival. In fact, Dunn’s casting was shared exclusively by Deadline in May, and Nellie was described as a “world-class spoiled princess” with a mean girl’s mouth and a lonely, soft side. In other words, things will be a bit chaotic, but with some heart.
Moreover, she is not going to Walnut Grove alone. Charlotte Sullivan is Nellie’s formidable mother, Margaret Oleson, and Rachelle Lefevre is the schoolteacher of the town, Eva Beadle. Both casting roles were confirmed and announced by Netflix’s Tudum earlier in the summer. Meanwhile, showrunner Rebecca Sonnenshine is again at the helm, but she is doing her best to stay away from the 1974 series for inspiration and instead turning to Wilder’s original books. Season 2 promises to add a new school teacher to the fold, the Oleson family, and an all-new town. There is no set date for the premiere yet, but fans won’t be waiting in the dark for long.