https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfmg1gbtoti
Get stuck in: “Twisted Metal” season 2 is revving its engines for a summer return. The first season of “Twisted Metal” was a total blast, but now, the high-octane mayhem is hitting the gas, blowing things up, and, based on the latest trailer, delivering just the right dose of mayhem fans are craving. The Peacock original streaming series, inspired by the vehicle combat video game of the same name, combines road rage, explosions, and dark humor into a unique ride, but avoids the same narrative pitfalls that plague other video game adaptations. If you were a teenager (or among cool parents) in the late ’90s or early ’00s, chances are you played “Twisted Metal” religiously or knew someone who exclusively wore non-lip Gen D vs. “Chupa” t-shirts and their ice cream truck. And yet, against all odds, the series has become one of the most unexpectedly entertaining adaptations in recent memory.
Created by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, along with showrunner Michael Jonathan Smith, the series stars Anthony Mackie as John Doe, the Wisecracking delivery man, alongside Stephanie Beatriz as Silent, a fierce and sharp survivor with her own mysterious past. The first season was a tumultuous journey through a post-apocalyptic America and ended with John being summoned to a deadly tournament hosted by the mysterious Raven (played by Neve Campbell), while Silent was taken by a group of masked women led by none other than John’s sister, the enigmatic Dollface (Tiana Okoye). This means that the second season will focus on the tournament hosted by Calypso (Anthony Carrigan), aligning the series with the gameplay fans are more familiar with. And boy, does it look wild . I never thought I’d see the character Axel (Michael James Shaw) transform into his own vehicle in live-action, but Peacock loves us and wants us all to be happy.
Twisted Metal Season 2 is ready to blow things up
Fresh from his performance as Metamorpho in James Gunn’s “Superman,” Carrigan is donning his finest, gothic wig to bring Calypso, the creator of the twisted metal contest, to life. The prize for winning the tournament is that Calypso will grant any wish the winner desires, as he is blessed with supernatural powers. However, he is also a monkey’s paw, typically punishing the winners with their own wish through a form of twisted irony. As the trailer indicates, John Doe and Soils hope to win so they can wish for all the walls separating the different communities to be torn down, allowing the “outsiders” to finally have a taste of equality.
The show’s overarching themes are undoubtedly important, but for a show based on “Twisted Metal,” it wouldn’t work without over-the-top violence or jaw-dropping explosions. Fortunately, this tournament isn’t holding back on its detonations. If you’re chasing the high that can only be found in George Miller-directed films, “Twisted Metal” is guaranteed to deliver. Considering the teaser boasts Beatriz as Silent, doing a “Bend and Snap” bow while dragging a dagger through a bad guy, Axel as the axis, John Doe’s shooting Mackie’s all guns blazing , and Tooth Sweet (Joe Seanoa and Will Arnett) running around with flames on top of his head? Oh yeah, we sickos are in for a treat this season.
The second season of “Twisted Metal” premieres with three episodes on July 31, 2025, followed by new episodes every Thursday through August 28 on Peacock.
