Netflix has launched the historical epic The Leopard with considerable effort. But will there be a second season of the family story?The historical series The Leopard recently made its way to the Netflix charts, but what about a sequel? This article explains the ending of The Leopard and provides an update on whether a second season is even possible.
This is what The Leopard on Netflix is about
The series is based on Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s novel of the same name, which was previously made into a film in 1963 with Alain Delon and Claudia Cardinale as The Leopard . It tells a large-scale family story set against the backdrop of the independence movement in 19th-century Italy.
The story centers on Don Fabrizio Corbera ( Kim Rossi Stuart ), prince of the Sicilian House of Salina. In the 1860s, he and his family lead a life of privilege and tradition, while the rest of the country is undergoing upheaval. To secure his family’s future, he must enter into uneasy alliances. Of particular importance is the potential marriage of his nephew Tancredi ( Saul Nanni ) to Angelica ( Deva Cassel ), the daughter of the wealthy upstart Sedara. Salina’s own daughter Concetta ( Benedetta Porcaroli ) is in love with Tancredi.
Unlike a book or a film: The ending of The Leopard on Netflix explained
In the final, sixth episode of The Leopard, the grand ball takes place, where Angelica is introduced to Palermo society. Luchino Visconti ‘s 1963 film adaptation ends here , with the image of the prince heading toward darkness and thus the end of his era.
Netflix
The Leopard
At the end of the novel, the ball is followed by a time jump of over 20 years to the dying Salina, and then another jump to 1910, when his daughter Concetta lives on the estate. In total, almost 50 years pass in the novel.
The end of the series differs greatly from the original and the film
Unlike the book, the series doesn’t feature any comparable time jumps at the end. In the sixth episode of The Leopard, Salina and his daughter Concetta travel back to their estate after the ball. While admiring his flowerbeds, the prince collapses and ends up in a sickbed. With his final words, he hands over the responsibility of leading the family after his death to Concetta.
The ending of the Netflix series lends the story a kind of feminist twist . While the novel and film focus on the decline of an era, the Netflix series puts Concetta at the forefront. She decides against marrying a man she doesn’t love and takes control of her father’s land. She shakes off the shackles of her tradition, so to speak, and is established as the antithesis of Tancredi, trapped in an unhappy marriage.
There will be no second season: Watch these two series instead
Netflix is promoting The Leopard as a miniseries, so there probably won’t be a second season . Which makes sense, since while the series differs from the original, it covers most of the plot.
If you’re looking for more series like The Leopard, you should check out these two streaming tips on Netflix as a replacement:
The literary adaptation of One Hundred Years of Solitude was released on Netflix in 2024 and is based on the novel of the same name by Gabriel García Márquez . This series also focuses on a family through the ages, and in terms of production effort, the film is in no way inferior to The Leopard.
The series The Crown takes up similar themes, as the six seasons about the reign of British Queen Elizabeth II repeatedly deal with the constraints of tradition, nobility and traditional moral values.
The Leopard as a film and as a book
There is also the possibility of reading the great novel by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa.
The Leopard as a novel on Amazon *
The Leopard on DVD at Amazon *
Luchino Visconti’s film is also a masterpiece that, like few other films, succeeds in adapting the spirit of its original and yet still finding its own way.
However, this absolutely worthwhile film is not currently available in Germany via VOD or streaming. Even the DVDs and Blu-rays are only available secondhand from major retailers.
