Penny Dreadful returns to Showtime in just a few months. The Gothic horror series – which boasted an all-star cast, including Eva Green, Josh Hartnett and Timothy Dalton – captured its audience by combining the right amount of sex, violence and sensational tales to keep viewers enthralled until the very end, and now it hopes to raise the stakes in season 2.

Season 1 of the new series saw numerous characters discover and accept their dreadful fates. By season’s end, Ethan (Hartnett) had transformed into a werewolf to avoid returning to America, while Vanessa (Green) questioned whether she truly wanted to be normal, even after Malcolm (Dalton) sacrificed his own daughter to save her.

Yet perhaps the most tragic moment of all came when an already deathly-ill Brona (Billie Piper) died at the hands of Victor Frankenstein (Harry Treadaway) so that his creation Caliban (Rory Kinnear) could have a mate.

And things are only going to get worse this year for everyone. Whereas last season Vanessa and the rest of the key players did as they pleased, season 2 will find them on the run. According to Executive Producer John Logan at this week’s TCA Press Tour, “Last season, our heroes were hunters. This season, they’re hunted.” And if you watched the new trailer above, you’ll understand why.

Merely a recurring character in season 1, Helen McCrory’s dark witch Evelyn Poole (a.k.a. Madame Kali), who seems to enjoy bathing in a tub of blood, will become the main antagonist this season. Like many other villains before her, Poole of course believes she’s doing the right thing.

“She has a noble calling even though it runs counter to Sir Malcolm’s,” says Logan. “She might think she’s on the side of the angels, even though she’s on the side of the devils.”

And joining her this season will be Sarah Greene as Poole’s powerful daughter, Hecate. Together the two characters will bring a proper human villain to Penny Dreadful after the vampires of season 1. They’ll not only become major antagonists for Vanessa but for all the characters.

Logan also said to critics, “We sort of unleash hell in this season. It’s our make or break season.” Let’s hope it’s a good one.

What do you think, Screen Rant readers? Are you excited for Penny Dreadful and a human villain in season 2? Let us know in the comments.

Season 2 of Penny Dreadful premieres April 26th @10pm on Showtime.