The Stan Original Series Black Snow is back with a compelling new mystery.

It was an abnormally rainy day when I arrived at the Gold Coast's Home of the Arts (known as HOTA, an entertainment centre).

The flashy precinct is a sprawling venue complete with a cinema, amphitheatre and a museum. All of this development was part of a big rebranding of the former Gold Coast Arts Centre.

Growing up, I knew the area well. Best known for hosting Eisteddfods and local productions of Annie: The Musical, it was all a bit naff but rather exciting for a youngster like me obsessed with the entertainment industry.

So, I find it all a bit full circle coming back here twenty years later to visit the set of the second season of the Stan Original Series Black Snow.

Gone are the chintzy musical banners which have been replaced with big production vans, catering honey wagons, and a real Hollywood buzz in the air. And a real Hollywood star in our midst.

I'm here to interview the cast of Black Snow. The show is returning for a second season after debuting to critical and fan acclaim when it premiered back in 2022.

Season one was a gritty exploration of a cold case that took place within an Australian South Sea Islander community in northern Queensland.

It was undoubtedly a shining star in Australia's booming local movie and television industry, so it will come as no surprise that Stan green-lit a second season.

At the end of Black Snow season one, the case surrounding the death of teenager Isabel Baker was solved and put to rest thanks to the work of troubled detective James Cormack, played by Travis Fimmel.

So where to now?

Take a look at the trailer for the Stan Original Series Black Snow.

As I make my way to the press area down by the Nerang River, I take shelter under a production tent as the weather flits in and out of windy rain spells.

This isn't your typical Gold Coast day, and it looks like the weather gods have been briefed well by producers — it's gloomy and foreboding. If we were expecting a cheerier tale to come our way in season two of Black Snow, we should dispel all of those hopes right now.

First up, I chatted with Executive Producer Rosemary Blight and series creator Lucas Taylor to try and squeeze them for details on what to expect in season two. Understandably, they're cautious about giving away too many secrets given the twists and turns we uncovered in season one of Black Snow — but I try my best.

What will happen in season two of Black Snow?

Taylor (the mastermind behind the Black Snow universe) tells me that season two will focus on a missing person's case that is told over two timelines.

In 2003, we were introduced to a young woman named Zoe who was outspoken about her progressive opinions. She's built a reputation for being passionate about social justice and political issues — a brazen attitude that hasn't always put her in the best stead with her local community.

And then.... she goes missing and hasn't been seen since.

Fast-forward to the present day and Detective Cormack has been placed on the case of solving what happened to Zoe. Given the acute rise in gendered violence in Australia, I pressed Executive Producer Rosemary Blight on how they're handling this sensitive subject matter in the new season.

"Often in this genre, it's a body on a slab and some heroic detective solves the case," she said. "But in this season we really, truly wanted to maintain agency for this woman."

Jana McKinnon will star in season two of Black Snow. Image: Instagram.

Playing the role of Zoe is Jana McKinnon, an up-and-coming actor best known for her portrayal of Jo in The Stan Original Series Bad Behaviour.

When I spoke to McKinnon, she gave some insights into how her character was given a fully rounded story rather than just being another picture on a missing person's board.

"She's got this incredible agency over the sexuality of her body which is quite ahead of her time," she tells me. "But the people around her just cut her down for it."

As I hear both Blight and McKinnon talk about the importance of making sure the character of Zoe is given justice beyond a case file, it's clear this series is being driven by a great need to shine a light on the current social situation.

"It's really complex, and it's really important to tell stories like this that have nuance," says McKinnon.

I'm starting to gather that this season is going to be full of more mystery and intrigue — although this time it feels like things are going to get darker and more tortured.

At the centre of that torture has always been Detective Cormack in a role that feels like it was custom-made for Travis Fimmel.

Travis Fimmel and Megan Smart in the Stan Original Series Black Snow season two. Image: Stan.

Days before I arrived for the set visit, I was told that the show's star Fimmel wouldn't have time to take any questions — a fairly valid assertion I had already made, given his leading man status.

The country boy from Echuca was plucked from obscurity when he was signed to a modelling agency at 21-years-old and immediately plastered over billboards as the hot new Calvin Klein model.

He has parlayed that jump-start into the entertainment industry by cultivating a very impressive acting career, having worked on the popular series Vikings and most recently starred in Boy Swallows Universe.

He is undoubtedly one of Australia's biggest success stories and to see him back in a local production is certainly a win.

I had assumed, with his star power and impressive CV, he'd be behind a gilded cage free from the prying eyes of journalists and extras. Then, lo and behold, he approached us with nary a sliver of ego.

"How's the Gold Coast treating ya?" he beamed at the table of shocked journos.

Travis Fimmel might be a Hollywood star, but he could not be more down to earth. Image: Getty.

We're immediately charmed. Fimmel was dressed in a pair of classic Maseur sandals found at your local chemist, and he was munching on a packet of Arnott's biscuits. Any ideas I had about him being an elusive figure were dashed.

I'm given a golden ticket by Stan publicists — I've got five minutes with Fimmel before he's needed back on set.

At the end of Black Snow season one, there is a lightness and brevity to Cormack as he gets closure from solving the case of Isabel Baker. Is this a sign that season two will be somewhat of a path toward healing for our complicated hero?

In short: no.

"I don't think Cormack is as professional as he was in the first season," Fimmel told me. "He's still very tortured."

This season we're going to learn more about the disappearance of his brother. New evidence comes to light, and he questions whether he should give up his professional endeavours to focus on a personal quest to find his brother. Oh, and his father is released from prison, which stirs up some big feelings.

"He still has his issues and, if anything, they get stronger on a very rocky road with his father," he says.

"This season we really delve into Cormack's background, his issues with his family, his dad, his mum and his brother."

While pursuing the case of his missing brother, this begins to intersect with his plight to find Zoe.

"I think Cormack has been trying to avoid his own tortured path and his own pain and trying to make it about somebody else so he can avoid his own stuff."

But once again, it looks like things are about to get messy and if you think there's respite on the horizon for Cormack — think again.

"Just when you think he's going to find closure, something else happens. He gets his hopes up or trusts the wrong person and then gets shut down."

The wind picks up again, the Nerang River swells and the rain starts to fall. Fimmel is whisked away to begin filming, and the ominous storyline is starting to materialise right before me.

Kat Stewart in the second season of the Stan Original Series Black Snow. Image: Stan.

Now, we're all eagerly anticipating the arrival of Kat Stewart for interviews. She's one of Australia's most prolific actors who has graced our screens for decades in some of the best local productions we've ever seen, including Offspring, The Secret Life Of Us, Underbelly, and Tangle.

As Stewart made her way to me, it was hard not to get a little star-struck by her. She's gracious and warm and a far cry from many of the divisive characters she's played in the past.

A new addition to the Black Snow universe this season, Stewart tells me she was drawn to her character quite simply because it was so different from anything she'd done before.

"I love playing messy," she tells me. "I love playing people who are a bit damaged or messy or lacking filters and have chips on their shoulders. Whereas this is someone who really has their s**t together and is very much a strategic player."

Her character in season two is Julie, a single mother and the town mayor when we first met her in 2003. As the storyline splits and jumps forward in time, she has become a senator, which sets up an interesting sub-plot.

I pump her for details on how Stewart's character weaves into Cormack's investigation and Zoe's disappearance. I'm given crumbs about how it all plays out, but it only makes me more eager to figure out this new mystery.

The sun is completely gone now, hidden behind thick clouds.

I get a chill over my body. This isn't the Gold Coast anymore. This is a full transformation into Black Snow's fictional world, and I'm hooked on the mystery of young Zoe.

The production is set to move on to the Glasshouse Mountains soon, which will no doubt make for an eerie backdrop with its towering volcanic monoliths.

I'm left with more burning questions, but I guess that's the beauty of a quality production.

Don't be fooled by the end of Black Snow season one — we're set for more darkness, more pain, and more steely stares from Detective Cormack.

Not to sound morbid, but, I can't wait.

Who is the cast of Black Snow season two?

The main cast returning for season two include:

• Travis Fimmel as Detective James Cormack

• Jana McKinnon as Zoe Jacobs

• Dan Spielman

• Megan Smart

• Alana Mansour

• Kat Stewart

• Victoria Haralabidou

When is the release date for Black Snow season two?

Black Snow season two is set to premiere on January 1, 2025, with a double-episode release on Stan. This season will continue to follow Detective Cormack as he investigates complex missing persons cases.

Where can I watch Black Snow season two?

You can watch Black Snow season two on Australian streaming platform Stan.

The brand-new season of the Stan Original Series Black Snow premieres New Year's Day, only on Stan.

Feature Image: Stan.