Apple TV+’s critically acclaimed series Severance will expand beyond its upcoming third season, possibly including two spinoffs and merchandise, according to recent revelations from director Ben Stiller and star Adam Scott in a new interview. That news alongside Severance season 3 progress should delight fans of the dystopian workplace drama as much as any “overtime contingency” could.
Severance season 3 on the way, plus 2 possible spinoffs and merchandise
Series director Stiller confirmed two specific spinoff concepts are currently in early stages of development, according to an interview he and Scott did with Variety. While details remain confidential, these developments signal Apple TV+’s commitment to building a larger franchise around the hit show’s unique premise as it heads into season three following season two’s thrilling finale.
Just to briefly recap, Creepy Lumon Industries pushes a brain implant procedure called Severance — which separates employees’ consciousness of work (“innie”) and real life (“outie”) — as a work/life balance solution, to disastrous effect. “Overtime contingency,” by the way, refers to the mechanism rebellious innies used to briefly escape Lumon at the end of season one.
“We’re looking at a couple of different ideas,” Stiller revealed about spinoffs in the interview. Asked what stage of development they’re in and whether Apple has signed off, he said only, “they are nascent.”
Most likely, the spinoffs will explore different aspects of the show’s distinctive world. They may delve deeper into the mysterious Lumon Industries or explore other characters within the universe. Stiller also mentioned how he pondered acting in the series early in season one, perhaps as a doctor, but scrapped the idea.
Meanwhile, the writing process for Severance season 3 continues. Stiller said he flies to Los Angeles every 10 days for collaboration with the creative team. This hands-on approach seems to underscore the importance of maintaining the show’s quality as it expands into a broader franchise.
Upcoming Severance merchandise featuring Lumon-themed products
Plans for official Severance merchandise include Lumon-themed keyboards and perhaps other show-specific collector’s items. Stiller emphasized that any products would be “bespoke and specific to the show,” suggesting a focus on quality over quantity.
Fans can look forward to Lumon merchandise that will be carefully designed to reflect the show’s distinctive aesthetic and themes. These items should appeal to the show’s dedicated fanbase. It embraces the series’ unique visual style and corporate dystopian setting.
Potential video game
Stiller expressed interest in developing a Severance video game as part of the franchise’s expansion into interactive media. While still in the conceptual phase, this potential adaptation could allow fans to experience the show’s mind-bending premise in more of a firsthand way.
The gaming concept aligns with Apple’s broader strategy of creating multimedia franchises around its most successful properties. Severance could follow in the footsteps of successful transmedia franchises elsewhere, like the Star Wars universe. Some transmedia empires cover books, movies, games and more.
The show’s cultural impact
Photo: Apple TV+
With a 96% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, the Severance critical reception positions it among the most acclaimed streaming shows of recent years. Terms like “innie” and “outie” from Severance have entered popular culture, demonstrating the show’s linguistic impact beyond its viewership. Apple TV+’s promotional stunts for the show make headlines.
Adam Scott’s Severance performance has earned critical acclaim, with the actor noting how the role feels like a career milestone.
“For 25 years, I had been marching my way through the sludge to get to a place where maybe I could get a role like this. It feels like a culmination for me,” Scott told Variety.
The actor also commented on the show’s growing recognition dovetailing with his own.
“It’s certainly different walking down the street,” he said. “Every 10 steps, someone has to talk about the show. People are yelling at me from their cars. And in a bakery, there was a cookie with my face on it.”
Severance season 3 production timeline
The three-year gap between the first two Severance seasons has been attributed primarily to Hollywood labor strikes rather than creative challenges, despite past rumors of discord.
Addressing industry speculation about behind-the-scenes tensions, Stiller emphasized: “Everybody on the show gets along. There’s never been any weirdness on our show between anybody.”
While specific plot details for season three remain under wraps, the active writers’ room and Stiller’s regular involvement suggest steady progress. The Severance franchise expansion strategy appears to follow similar paths to other successful Apple TV+ properties like Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and For All Mankind, both of which have spawned spinoffs.
For fans eagerly awaiting more content from this distinctive universe, the confirmation of likely spinoffs, interesting merchandise and potential interactive experiences provides exciting news while they wait for the next chapter.
David Snow, an expert on Apple hardware and software, writes on a variety of technological and cultural topics for Cult of Mac. They include Apple news, technology buying guides, and features about computer setups and Apple TV shows and movies.
With 30 years of experience covering technology and other subjects, he has written and edited for numerous print and online publications, including CMP Media, TechTV.com, CNET, Wired News, Red Herring magazine, Law.com, The National Law Journal and Law Technology News magazine. Among other roles, he served as executive editor of the Law.com network of websites and editorial director, technology, for ALM Media.
Snow graduated with a B.A. from Syracuse University with majors in magazine journalism and psychology. While there, he worked as a reporter for The Daily Orange newspaper and associate editor of Equal Time magazine.
Founder of the blog At the Waterline, he can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) via @atthewaterline and on Mastodon via @dsnow.
