UPDATE, 2 PM: AMC officially announced the second-season renewal of The Killing with a 13-episode order. Release below:

PREVIOUS, 12 PM: With solid ratings and strong critical acclaim, AMC’s The Killing has been a shoo-in for a second-season renewal. I hear that is now a reality. While not a breakout hit of the size of The Walking Dead, murder mystery The Killing has defied the common downward ratings trajectory for a heavily serialized drama by keeping its ratings steady while garnering cult following and major awards attention. The series’ first-season finale airs this Sunday. An adaptation of the Danish series Forbrydelsen, The Killing is produced by Fox TV Studios. Veena Sud penned the adaptation, which stars Mireille Enos. With the renewal of The Killing, 4 of AMC’s 5 series so far have gone to second season. The only one that didn’t was Rubicon.

New York, NY – June 13, 2011 – AMC announced today the renewal of “The Killing” for a 13-episode second season. From writer, executive producer and series showrunner Veena Sud (“Cold Case”), season one premiered on Sunday, April 3 to 2.7 million total viewers. The series currently reigns as the second highest premiere season for an original drama in AMC history. “The Killing” is based on the successful Danish television series “Forbrydelsen” and is produced by Fox Television Studios and executive produced by Mikkel Bondesen (“Burn Notice”) for Fuse Entertainment. Season one’s finale premieres Sunday, June 19 at 10pm EST.

Since its debut, “The Killing” has garnered rave reviews and critical acclaim. “Veena and her writers, cast and crew; FTVS; and Fuse have shown us how much room there is to elevate the crime drama with this series,” said Joel Stillerman, AMC’s SVP of original programming, production and digital content. “The suspense of the investigation in each episode, and the emotional intensity of the characters over the season give this show a visceral quality that makes for incredibly powerful television. A lot of loyal fans made a huge investment in this show this season, and we are thrilled to be able to bring it back next season for all involved.”

David Madden, president, Fox Television Studios, said, “We are proud to bring back one of the most extraordinary casts on television to tantalize, scare, mesmerize, and occasionally infuriate the audience for one more season, with Veena Sud masterfully at the helm again. The audience response to this show has been so overwhelming, and it is a privilege for us to have the chance to produce more episodes, especially for a network as shrewd and tasteful as AMC. May ‘The Killing’ never stop.”

Shot on location in Vancouver, “The Killing’s” season one is anchored by a breakout cast, including Mireille Enos (“Big Love”) as Sarah Linden, the lead homicide detective investigating the death of Rosie Larsen; Billy Campbell (“Once and Again”) as Darren Richmond, Seattle’s City Council President running for Mayor; Joel Kinnaman (Snabba Cash) as Stephen Holder, an ex-narc cop who joins the homicide division in the investigation to find Rosie’s killer; Michelle Forbes as Rosie’s mother, Mitch; and Brent Sexton as Rosie’s father, Stan. AMC’s Joel Stillerman, SVP of original programming, production and digital content, Susie Fitzgerald, SVP of scripted programming, and Jason Fisher, SVP of production, oversee series production for the network.