Ben Stiller Discusses Future of "Severance" and More

Ben Stiller has assured fans they won’t have to endure another three-year wait for the upcoming season of “Severance,” with the season finale scheduled to air this Friday. “Severance,” featuring a cast that includes Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Zach Cherry, and John Turturro, follows the lives of employees at the enigmatic Lumon company, governed by the shadowy Eagan family. These employees have undergone “severance,” a process splitting their consciousness between work and home, in a bold attempt to achieve a work-life balance. Speaking on Jason and Travis Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast, Stiller mentioned that forthcoming seasons won’t be plagued by the same delays the second one experienced. “No, the plan is not to [wait three years],” Stiller confirmed. “Hopefully we’ll be announcing what the plan is very soon.” Filming for the second season faced setbacks due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America strikes, even though the first season had been available since February 2022. The second season, launched on January 17, continues to follow the severed employees as they uncover the true intentions of Lumon, and it has received critical acclaim. In a glowing five-star review, Annabel Nugent from The Independent stated, “Capturing the unexpected brilliance for a sequel is incredibly challenging, yet Severance accomplishes this with finesse, seamlessly balancing its varied tones like a skilled waiter on a busy Friday night. Thankfully, it’s still one of the best shows on TV—definitely worth hurrying home to watch.” Stiller spoke about the production delays and how the streaming platform has evolved since “Severance” first premiered. “It took us some time to regroup, and we filmed for 186 days on Season 2. Editing requires time, but thankfully we retained our audience. The challenge was to attract new viewers, so Apple executed a strong promotional campaign, and we did extensive press,” he shared. “Now, three years later, Apple TV+ is in a different situation with a larger viewer base. Initially, we were among its first shows.” Stiller, who directed 11 out of the 19 episodes, including the Season 2 finale, also expressed how directing has influenced him as an actor. “Directing has made me appreciate actors even more,” he shared. “When you’re solely directing, you can focus entirely on your work, supporting other actors and staying connected with the crew.” The episode “Cold Harbor,” confirmed as the longest in the series, runs for 76 minutes. The Australian Classification Board has tagged it “MA 15+ Restricted” due to violent scenes. Although there’s no formal announcement of a third season yet, it is anticipated the award-winning show will continue. In a February 2025 chat with The Hollywood Reporter, Stiller mentioned that a team of writers was already working in Los Angeles on Season 3, and hinted in a November 2024 interview with Collider that development had started. “It’s crucial to guide the storyline in a meaningful way,” Stiller informed Collider. “It should last as long as the story permits, and we have a clear path, progressing as we embark on our Season 3 preparations.”