'Empire' Season 2 Spoilers: Premiere Photos Reveal First Look At Episode 1 'The Devils Are Here'

Jamal and Cookie — Jamal Lyon (Jussie Smollett, left) and Cookie (Taraji P. Henson, right) sit in court in the "Empire" Season 2, episode 1, “The Devils Are Here.” Chuck Hodes/FOX.

With Season 1 of "Empire" ending with a bang, it should come as no surprise that Season 2 of the Fox drama will pick up right in the aftermath of Lucious (Terrence Howard) being arrested for murder. While he's locked up, his family -- ex-wife Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) and three sons, Andre (Trai Byers), Jamal (Jussie Smollett) and Hakeem (Bryshere Y. Gray) -- will continue to battle for Empire records. Fans of the show can now get a look at what's to come in the season premiere, "The Devils Are Here."

Photos from the premiere tease Lucious at trial, a "Free Lucious" concert held in honor of the the imprisoned rapper, as well as more fighting for the Lyon family. Fox has also released an official synopsis for the premiere episode:

Season 2 picks up three months after the shocking arrest and incarceration of Empire Entertainment head Lucious Lyon. Still in federal lockup, Lucious is trying to run Empire from inside, while a headline-grabbing state prosecutor hangs her political ambitions on bringing him down -- no matter what it takes. Meanwhile, Cookie stages a star-studded #FreeLucious concert in his support, while scheming with Andre, Hakeem, Anika (Grace Gealey) and the business savvy Mimi Whiteman (guest star Marisa Tomei) to finalize the hostile takeover of Empire.

According to TVLine, showrunner Ilene Chaiken said she hopes to keep on making the show a series that many people can relate to. "We want to continue to make the audience gasp and laugh and scream and cry," she said.

As for the fate of the Lyon family, Chaiken revealed Lucious eventually will get out of jail and emerge "more ferocious and more powerful than before." Out of Lucious' sons, Hakeem will reportedly show the most growth. And unfortunately for Lucious, Cookie will also come off an "unstoppable" in trying to make the label hers.

Watch a promo for Season 2 below:

But it won't be the same old cast of characters in Season 2. Last season featured cameos from big names, such as Cuba Gooding Jr., Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Patti LaBelle and Raven-Symoné, and this year is no exception. Alicia Keys, Lenny Kravitz and Kelly Rowland are reported to be guest starring in Season 2, according to E! Online.

"Empire" Season 2 premieres Wednesday, Sept. 23, on Fox at 9 p.m. EDT. Check out several photos from the from the premiere episode, "The Devils Are Here," below: