The ABC crime procedural Will Trent has reached a pivotal turning point in its production cycle, leveraging a high-profile streaming debut to maintain momentum during its most significant transition to date. Following the global launch of its first four seasons on Netflix on November 3, 2026, the series is preparing for a Season 5 return that will look fundamentally different from its predecessors.
This licensing agreement between Disney and Netflix, which includes all 59 existing episodes, arrives as the series navigates its longest-ever production hiatus. Industry analysts suggest the “Netflix effect”—which previously catapulted older licensed procedurals like Suits to new levels of viewership—is being utilized here to bridge the gap until Season 5 premieres in early 2027. Disney has currently pointed toward a first-quarter release window for the new episodes.
The Post-Amanda Wagner Era
The upcoming season must address a massive narrative vacuum following the death of a foundational character. Sonja Sohn, who portrayed Amanda Wagner, has officially exited the series after her character was executed by an acolyte of Adelaide Trevens in late Season 4. This development marks a definitive divergence from the original Karin Slaughter novels, where Wagner remains a central, living figure in Will’s life.
The “shakeup” extends beyond the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) leadership. The death of Seth McDale (Scott Foley) in the Season 4 finale has also fundamentally altered the domestic stakes of the show, leaving Angie Polaski to navigate life as a single mother. These permanent exits have forced a creative reset for the series as it moves into its fifth year.
To fill the void in the GBI hierarchy, Alexandra Metz has joined the Season 5 cast in a series regular role. Metz will portray Birdie Palmer, the new GBI Deputy Director. Her character is expected to face the immediate challenge of managing the bureau’s top agents while dealing with the emotional fallout of Wagner’s death. Metz joins the production following the departure of several recurring stars, signaling a shift in the show’s ensemble dynamic.
Production Details and 2027 Outlook
Production for Season 5 officially commenced in Atlanta on August 24, 2026. The season premiere is titled “Wouldn’t Want to Take My Work Home,” an episode that also sees series star Ramón Rodríguez stepping behind the camera to direct. The new season will arrive in a crowded procedural landscape; 2026 has already seen the debut of NCIS: New York, featuring the return of Sam Hanna (LL Cool J), and the neo-western procedural Marshals, a Yellowstone spin-off starring Luke Grimes.
While fans have questioned if Sonja Sohn might return in some capacity, the main-timeline character remains deceased. Previous seasons utilized Sydney Park to play a younger version of Amanda Wagner in dream sequences and flashbacks, a technique the show may continue to employ to maintain the character’s influence on Will’s backstory without undoing the finality of Sohn’s exit.
