by Thinus Ferreira
National Geographic (DStv 181 / StarSat 220) has renewed The Hot Zone for a second season that was originally meant to be and that was billed as a limited series, with the new season that will cover the anthrax attacks in America in 2001.
The limited series - that now represents its first season, was broadcast in 2019 starring Julianna Margulies and chronicled the discovery of the Ebola virus in Africa.
Several sections of the first season of The Hot Zone set in various African countries were filmed in South Africa with a large and largely unrecognised South African cast, with Moonlighting Films that provided production services and crew in South Africa.
Kelly Sounders and Brian Peterson both return as showrunners and executive producers, with Touchstone Television, a division of Disney Television Studios, and Scott Free Productions producing.
The second season of The Hot Zone will tell the story of how letters of deadly anthrax - white powder - were sent to victims in Florida, Washington DC and in New York in America in which 5 people died and caused panic throughout the United States.
While letters started showing up, FBI agents and the country's justice department started tracking and tracing suspects.
"The gripping, propulsive story of the hunt for the anthrax killer who terrorized the country in the dark days that followed the September 11 attack couldn’t be more timely," says Carolyn Bernstein, National Geographic's executive vice president for global scripted content and documentary films.
"As the world battles Covid-19, another deadly and mysterious virus, The Hot Zone: Anthrax is a scientific thriller for our time."
Kelly Sounders says "While many of us can recall the breaking news headlines and the widespread fear that ensued when anthrax emerged in America, there are still layers to this story that have not yet been told".
"The second season of our anthology series will dive deep into the forensic investigation of a simple envelope that sent the entire Eastern Seaboard into a panic."
David W. Zucker, Scott Free Television president, says "After a terrific collaboration with our friends at National Geographic on The Hot Zone, we couldn’t be more excited to be back in business with the same stellar team for another season".
"All of us well remember the anthrax attacks in 2001, which rocked and terrified the country. We’re eager to tell this extraordinary story of all the drama that unfolded to overcome the attacks and identify the perpetrator."
