Twisted Metal Season 2 is gaining on us, and Anthony Mackie warns that we may not be ready for all it has in store. Mackie is an executive producer on the series, in addition to starring as John Doe, a.k.a. The Milkman, so he had a lot of insights to share ahead of the season premiere. Mackie spoke to journalists during a set visit last summer while Season 2 was filming, including ComicBook. He shared some major teasers for the season, as well as some insights on the production process and general perspective on how to make a successful video game adaptation these days. It’s all interesting context ahead of the Season 2 premiere on July 31st on Peacock.
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Twisted Metal is based on Sony’s combat racing game series by the same name, which was last seen on the PlayStation 3. It’s set in a post-apocalyptic world and focuses mainly on deadly demolition derbies, but the first season didn’t even touch on the infamous Twisted Metal tournament. That changes now in Season 2, and Mackie is glad they have taken the time to build up the characters and story before diving into the race. Here are five tidbits we picked up from Mackie on set.
John Doe in Season 2
When asked about his own character in Season 2 compared to Season 1, Mackie hinted that there is a lot more development to come. “This season picks up with John — he’s now a citizen of New San Francisco, so it’s like a new way of life, a new beat,” he said. “At first, he was a ‘milkman’ running in the streets, and just a terror. And now he’s in f—ing New San Francisco. So he’s hanging out with the regular guys, and he’s wearing polos, and he has a shower. So, life is different. Over the course of the season, we get to see how that affects him, how that’s made him different.”
“Well, I think if you saw the first season, you realize how John was more of a man-child,” Mackie added later in the interview. “He was like an adult in a play land that just happened to be the world, and now he’s in a structured complex that’s his new reality. It’s almost like when you left for college, those holidays you would come back home and lose your f—ing mind, your freshman and sophomore year, that’s kind of become John’s life. Right now, he’s moved into this structured world, but he still yearns to be the old John, the fun of being the milkman, the wide open space. It’s just, you know, learning the two ways of existing, and conforming to the new while craving the old.”
“That means you will learn a lot about John Doe,” the actor went on. “When you look at this IP, Twisted Metal gives no backstory, no nothing. It’s just like, ‘People are trying to f— people up,’ right? With us, the fun that we have with this series is creating a reason why you want to f— people up. So it’s kind of like a blank slate. With John, we get to… make this character three-dimensional and real in many different ways, and make him a human being. So this season you’ll learn a lot about who John is and what kind of human being he is.”
Video Games and Hollywood
Mackie readily admitted that he’s not an avid gamer himself, though he appreciates a good story no matter where it comes from. However, when asked about the recent trend of video game adaptations in Hollywood, Mackie did not mince words. Like others, he believes its a sign of studio executives’ reluctance to take risks in the current economy and climate.
“To be honest, I think there’s a shortage of fresh and new ideas,” he said. “I think there’s so many people who are unwilling to go out on a limb and try something different and creative. Now it’s just like, we need established IP. As we’ve learned, no matter what it is, if it does not have the word I in the title, it’s f—ing dead — So AI, IP, L-M-N-O-I-P, whatever the hell you want, it has to have I in the title. So the IP part of it, I think, is a big sell.”
“People in this business — we don’t want to see if something works,” the actor went on. “We want something with an already built-in audience. So if it doesn’t work, we can go to our boss and say, ‘Hey, it was justified,’ you know, so the mouse can’t fire you. It’s just what the business is turning into.”
Twisted Metal Tournament
Some fans were disappointed when Twisted Metal Season 1 didn’t depict the titular tournament that the games are known for, but Mackie thinks they’ll be pleased with Season 2. Still, he hinted that that’s not all fans can look forward to in the new episodes, and even gave some insight into the show’s approach to special effects.
“Well, the tournament is this season… So we have like 16 new characters, and 16 new cars and crazy s—,” he began. “The car team is really going above and beyond. We used CGI as little as possible, so a lot of the stuff, we’re doing practically. I feel like it gives it a really cool, interesting look. It gives it a feel that you normally wouldn’t get in something like this, because they would just make it look weird with CGI.”
“I feel like last year we had a really great cast, and this year I feel like we kind of stepped on that in the same way,” he added. “We just got really good new actors, and I’m excited for them and their performances to show. Like, Anthony Carrigan — to get him was a huge coup. When we got that announcement that he was signing on, it was just a great opportunity to pepper the cast with new and interesting and fun and really good actors.”
Stunts and Teamwork
Speaking of practical effects, Mackie confirmed that filming stunts with cars and weapons involved is no small feat. He had no compunction about relying on professionals for these tasks, saying, “I have a great stunt man and a great stunt driver, and as a team, the three of us work really well together. We look out for each other and make sure, you know, none of us are blown up.”
Any moments of dangerous pride Mackie might have felt were quashed by his teammates. “They made it very clear that, you know, ‘Leave Tom Cruise s— to Tom Cruise,’” he recalled, laughing. “‘There’s no reason for you to be out here flipping cars. We look like you, and this is how we make a living. F— off.’ So they made that very clear, like, they tapped me out.”
“Last week we were doing this stunt and my driver, Aaron, he did his first roll,” the actor went on. “He literally just blew up a car rolling down the street. I was like, ‘Man, I could do that.’ He goes, ‘What are you doing?’ He showed me a video, and he’s like, ‘Look at my kids. Do you love my kids? Remember the gift you sent my kids? Yeah. Okay, sit the f— down.’ Got it. So, you know, we just have a good work of our relationship. We appreciate each other.”
Sweet Tooth
Mackie is not quite as certain of his relationship with the murderous Sweet Tooth, who is voiced by Will Arnett but physically played by pro wrestler Joe Seanoa, a.k.a. “Samoa Joe.” Mackie joked that he is still intimidated by the wrestler on set, no matter how friendly they become. However, he said that John Doe’s fear of Sweet Tooth is much more real.
“Sweet Tooth always gonna Sweet Tooth, and it’s still the same relationship,” he began. “I’m still deathly afraid of Joe. You know, I just, I know we’re friends, we hang out, but I don’t think he likes me! The s— he does to me in real life… So this is the hard part: he’s always oiled up, right? But he’s always like, ‘Hey, brah!’ So I always have these smudges of oil. It’s just like Sweet Tooth nipple in your eyes. It’s a disaster.”
“It’s the same relationship,” Mackie went on, returning to their characters rather than their off-screen friendship. “What are you going to do, like, push him off? What are you going to do, hit him? No, you’re going to run. So it’s just, it’s that Pinky in the Brain relationship. But I’m not sure which one I am.”
Twisted Metal Season 2 premieres on Thursday, July 31st on Peacock and airs week to week. Season 1 is streaming there now.
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Image Courtesy of Madhouse
