Warning! Spoilers ahead for Severance season 2, episode 1.
Severancecreator Dan Erickson explains Keanu Reeves' uncredited role in the season 2 premiere. After first releasing back in 2022, the hit Apple TV+ show returned for its sophomore outing last week, continuing the story of Adam Scott’s Mark Scout and his Lumon coworkers after the season 1 finale cliffhanger.Severanceseason 2 reviewshave been glowing, with episode 1 generating buzz for its strong storytelling and performances, as well as a surprise cameo from Reeves in a voice-only role during a Lumon presentation for those in the Macrodata Refinement department.
During a recent interview withCollider, Erickson explains Reeves' casting as the voice of Lumon, confirming that it was indeed theJohn Wickstar audiences were hearing. According to the creator,Reeves wasn’t the only actor in consideration, but he ultimately proved to be the best choice to bring life to the corporate building innie Mark and his coworkers call home. Check out Erickson’s explanation below:
“All I can say is that we talked about a couple of different people for that role. We always wanted it to be somebody that people have certain associations with, but also, it had to be a very warm presence. The Lumon building is very friendly in the context of this video, and there’s a friendliness to that particular voice and a heart to that particular voice.”
What Reeves' Cameo Means For Severance Season 2
Will The Voice Of Lumon Return?
Reeves' cameo as the Lumon building could be a one-off, but he could also return in future episodes. The presentation shown to Mark, Helly (Britt Lower), Dylan (Zach Cherry), and Irving (John Turturro) is designed to ease their minds upon their return to work, assuring them that “Lumon is listening”. TheSeveranceseason 2, episode 1, endingsuggests that those in the Macrodata Refinement department weren’t placated by the presentation, with Irving declaring thatthey’re going to burn Lumon to the ground.
Severance’s “Macrodat Uprising” Video & Why MDR Is Considered Heroes At Lumon
Lumon shows a strange “Macrodat Uprising” video to the MDR workers in Severance season 2’s episode 1, raising questions about the company’s motives.
It’s entirely possible that more “Lumon Is Listening” presentations are on the way, addressing more specific concerns that Mark and his colleagues have about their place of employment. With the stakes rising, however,it seems like Milchick (Tramell Tillman) could resort to more extreme methods to control his employees than educational videos. Mark and his colleagues are now highly motivated in their mission, and it will likely become obvious to management that videos aren’t enough.
Unlike season 1, which only featured nine episodes,Severanceseason 2 features 10.
The Apple TV+ Series Is Off To A Strong Start With Season 2
Image via Apple TV+
Severancecontinues to be one of the best shows on streaming due to its strong writing and performances. Reeves' brief appearance is ultimately small and fairly inconsequential in the grand scheme of the show, butit was a nice bonus that further enhanced the strong opening episode. While it would be great to see Reeves return in some capacity in future episodes, it being a one-off cameo makes it all the more special and surprising.
Reeves' cameo also raises questions about who else could be appearing in future episodes alongside the coreSeverancecast. It’s unclear what will be to come as Mark’s story continues to unfold, but Erickson, director Ben Stiller, and theSeverancecreative team are evidently pulling out all the stops in order to entertain.
Cast
Severance is a psychological thriller series featuring Adam Scott as Mark Scout, an employee at Lumon Industries who undergoes a “severance” procedure to separate his work and personal memories. However, as work and life personas mysteriously begin to collide, it quickly becomes clear that not all is as it seems. Created by Dan Erickson and directed by Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle.
