TNT's The Alienist Doesn't Have to Be a Limited Series

The Alienistis the highly anticipated TNT limited series based on Caleb Carr's novel of the same name. It boasts an all-star cast with Daniel Bruhl (Captain America: Civil War), Dakota Fanning (The Twilight Saga) and Luke Evans (Beauty and the Beast) as three people in the late 19th century trying to solve a heinous crime during the birth of criminal psychology.

The story went through several attempts to become a feature film before falling into the hands of executive producers Jakob Verbruggen and Rosalie Swedin and being transformed into a 10-episode event.

"I think that's what's so great about having limited series is that we are able to tell the story of The Alienist, this book, in 10 hours. That's what this is," Fanning told reporters during The Alienist panel at the Television Critics Association winter press tour on Thursday. "There's a beginning and a satisfying end."

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The series hasn't premiered yet, but there's already talk of a potential Season 2. The story of The Alienist might wrap up in these 10-episodes, but Caleb Carr also wrote a sequel book that could inspire a sophomore effort. There are no current plans to extend the series, but Fanning expressed genuine interest in returning to this world.

"I think there could be a potential to do it again. I think I can safely speak for everyone and say we would love to," Fanning explained. "We had the best time and love our characters so much and love this world. We certainly would be open to it but we are happy to have completed the story of The Alienist."

If the series gets extended, it would join the ranks of Big Little Lies which also started as an event but viewer and critical success inspired HBO to pick it up for another round.

The Alienist premieres Jan. 22 at 9/8c on TNT.