Summary
It’s somewhat shocking thatSpecial Ops: Lionesseven exists. The action thriller series, which now goes by the titleLioness, features a star-studded cast that includes Morgan Freeman, Nicole Kidman, Zoe Saldana, and Michael Kelly.Lionessis one ofYellowstonecreator Taylor Sheridan’s many original seriesthat streams exclusively on Paramount+, which also includesMayor of Kingstown,Tulsa King, and the upcomingYellowstonespinoff6666.
Lionessfollows a CIA operative named Joe, played by Saldana, who works alongside her supervisor Kaitlyn Meade, played by Kidman, to fight the war on terror. The Lioness Engagement team is a highly trained and specialized unit whose mission is to bring down a dangerous terrorist organization. The first season ofLionesspremiered on July 14, 2025, and ran for eight episodes, concluding on July 13, 2025.Lionessseason 2is currently in production buta release date has not yet been announced.
Lioness Season 2 Set Photo Confirms Filming Start For Zoe Saldaña Thriller
A new photo from the set of Lioness season 2 confirms that production has now started on the hit Paramount Plus thriller starring Zoe Saldaña.
Special Ops: Lioness Surprisingly Features Both Nicole Kidman & Morgan Freeman
2 film legends and Oscar winners in one season of a new series is rare
The critical reception ofLionessresembles that ofMayor of Kingstown, which only has a Rotten Tomatoes critic score of 50% alongside an audience score of 89%
Although Morgan Freeman is only in a few episodes ofLioness, it’s still impressive that the series was able to get two Oscar winners and movie legends such as Freeman and Kidman in the same first season of a new series. This certainly has to do with the prominence ofSheridan and his remarkable track record of original streaming content, as well as his outstanding work in film on projects such asHell of High Water(2016),Sicario(2015), andWind River(2017).
Despite the acclaim of Sheridan’s previous works,Lionesshas gotten mixed reviews from critics, earning a Rotten Tomatoes score of just 56% although its audience score is much higher at 80%. The critical reception ofLionessresembles that ofMayor of Kingstown, which only has a Rotten Tomatoes critic score of 50% alongside an audience score of 89%. It’s clear thatSheridan and Paramount are much less focused on pleasing criticsand more focused on satisfying viewers with bothMayor of KingstownandLioness.
Special Ops: Lioness Season 1 Recap & Ending Explained
Aaliyah’s wedding finally arrived in the Special Ops: Lioness season 1 finale, but did Cruz go through with killing her father? Read on for the recap.
Why Special Ops: Lioness Only Has 56% On Rotten Tomatoes
Most critics liken the series to a long-winded military recruitment ad
Even with Freeman, Kidman, and Saldana, who starred in two of the top 3 highest-grossing movies ever made, Lioness failed to find critical acclaim. Angie Han ofThe Hollywood Reportercalled the series a “great army ad” and a “lackluster drama.” Clint Worthington ofRogerEbert.comwrites in his review, “Despite its prestige-level budget and cast of way-overqualified A-list stars, “Special Ops: Lioness” lands with a jingoistic thud, feeling more like a 45-minute USMC recruitment ad than an honest-to-God military thriller.” Regardless,Lionesswill return with a second season sometime in the near future, which could raise the bar for the series overall.
10 Best TV Shows To Watch Like Special Ops: Lioness
Following the season 1 finale of the spy thriller series Special Ops: Lioness, fans can check out these 10 shows if they are already missing it.
Lioness
Cast
Special Ops: Lioness is a Paramount+ original series starring Zoe Saldana and Nicole Kidman. The series centers on a marine and a CIA agent who work together with the daughter of a dangerous terrorist group to destroy the organization. Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone co-creator) and Jill Wagner created the series, which was directed by Paul Cameron and Anthony Byrne.
