With Peacock’s Twisted Metal adaptation getting the green light for a second season, showrunner Michael Jonathan Smith and team dropped a few tidbits during an interview with NBC Insider on what to expect for season 2. That includes not only the focus on the tournament itself, but also the appearance of several more fan favorites from the video game series.
“I’m really excited,” says Smith. “We have an amazing team of writers and we’re discussing the arc of the season and what the first episode might be, looking at the big picture.” Among the characters the team is looking to introduce in the show, tournament organizer Calypso will finally be making an appearance, along with Dollface (who in Peacock’s adaptation is John Doe’s long-lost sister), Mr. Grimm, and perhaps the most challenging for the showrunners, Axel.
“[Mr. Grimm is] my favorite and I’m excited to capture what the fans are excited about seeing, but also [answering the question of]: ‘How does he exist in the world we’ve set up?’” says Smith. “I think there’s just going to be a lot of fun with him — what kind of character he is in this world and how does he interact with people like Sweet Tooth?”
Smith admits that there may be some minor tweaks needed to bring Axel to life (how do you get a guy strapped into two giant wheels into the show?), but he states that Axel will be treated with the same reverence as Sweet Tooth. “We have to get Axel right.”
The second season will also be devoted more to the Twisted Metal tournament itself, with Smith wanting to explore the various dynamics between all the different drivers for Calypso’s tournament. “I’m excited for fans to see these characters come to life and see what makes them funny and what makes them heartbroken. I think it’s gonna be fun to dive into these people … We introduced a lot of these characters — Preacher, Bloody Mary, John, Quiet, Watts — it’s gonna be fun to put them all in a [single] place at the tournament and have them interact. There’s a lot of really fun, interconnective character headspace stuff that I’m really excited to dive into. It feels like a new toy box.”
As for how long the series could last, Smith is putting that in the fans’ court. “I think this show could go on for as long as people want it to and I think that there’s tons more stories to tell in it, which is really exciting… I’m excited for you to see more. I think it’s gonna be wild.”
The first season of Twisted Metal is currently streaming now on Peacock, and stars Anthony Mackie, Neve Campbell, Stephanie Beatriz, and Thomas Haden Church, with Samoa Joe as Sweet Tooth and Will Arnett as the voice of Sweet Tooth.