Ben Stiller teases (very little about) 'Severance' Season 3

How many episodes have been written for Season 3? (Long pause.) “I don’t want to talk about where we’re at in our process.” How many seasons will you make in total? (Small grin.) “No comment.” Will John Turturro be back? (Big grin.) “No comment.”

So, look, Stiller’s no dummy. He know what big grins mean in this context. He didn’t just happen to remember a particularly funny moment from Becker while answering. So John Turturro will be back. Let’s be honest, he’s an MVP.

The interviewer did ask about spinning off ideas from Severance to other shows, and it sounds like it’s at least in the cards.

Do you see Severance as a franchise with spinoff shows? Stiller speaks slowly: “There are two specific ideas — that I won’t tell you — that we’ve talked about internally as possible spinoff ideas.” Asked what stage of development the spinoff ideas are in, or whether they have been discussed with Apple, all Stiller says, with a coy smile, is: “They are nascent.”

I feel like something about Lumon’s early days would be of moderate interest. A Harmony Cobel origin story would also give us a lot to chew on. However, for my money, why not show us some of the other nefarious Lumon properties around the world. We know other cities have severed floors. Italy apparently has a hole with a rope ladder. Like what the deuce is that about?

And finally, and certainly relevant to our interests, Stiller and Scott are very open to turning Lumon into some kind of interactive experience.

Stiller says it’d “be great to have a Severance video game.” Scott agrees: “I think it lends itself to one.” And, at some point, they want to make merchandise like Lumon keyboards, as long as it feels “bespoke and specific to the show.” 

Would I play a Severance video game? I would. It could be like Control but with fewer monsters. I’d be down for that.

In any case, whatever form it take, we just want more Severance, sooner rather than later. I need to know what has become of Gemma! If she gets recaptured, I might riot. Ya hear that, Ben?!

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Letterboxd.