'Dark Matter' Season 2 Interview: Joel Edgerton and More

Moviefone speaks with Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly about 'Dark Matter' Season 2. "It's wonderful to work with people that are really present," Connelly said.

Premiering on Apple TV August 28th is the second season of the popular science fiction series 'Dark Matter', which was created by Blake Crouch ('Wayward Pines').

Dark Matter

"One life. Infinite possibilities."

TV-MASci-Fi & Fantasy Drama

Audience
Score

Air Date: May 7th, 2024

Starring: Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Connelly, Alice Braga

Watch Dark Matter Online

The series stars Joel Edgerton ('Train Dreams'), Oscar winner Jennifer Connelly ('A Beautiful Mind'), Oakes Fegley ('The Fabelmans'), Alice Braga ('The Suicide Squad'), and Jimmi Simpson ('Westworld').

(L to R) Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly star in 'Dark Matter' season 2.

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly about their work on 'Dark Matter' Season 2, the challenge of playing multiple versions of the same character, working with the cast and series creator Blake Crouch, and what fans can expect from season 2.

(L to R) Jennifer Connelly and Joel Edgerton in 'Dark Matter', premiering August 28, 2026 on Apple TV.

Moviefone: To begin with, Joel, can you talk about the challenges of playing multiple versions of the same character? How do you make them all different from each other and does keeping track of them ever getting confusing for you?

Joel Edgerton: I think when I first found out about the show back in season one, I was like, "Oh, this is great. I'm gonna do very extreme physical changes," and it was the opposite. I realized, obviously, Jason #2 and Jason #1 in season one had to kind of be exactly the same person, physically. For the most part, all of the various Jasons I've played, apart from a bit of scarring or the costume, they're essentially the same person. They just have these subtle experiential differences like how they've been shaped by their encounters along the way, or the things that they've succeeded or failed in, and to me they became these subtle shifts in attitude and aura that I found far greater a challenge than if I were to do some big physical external thing.

MF: Jennifer, can you talk about how Daniela and Jason #1's relationship has changed since she's met the other Jason's, and where is she emotionally when we find her in season 2?

Jennifer Connelly: When we first see them, we have a moment of respite with these two characters, and they've sort of found a quiet place to be and live, and that gets disrupted pretty quickly. She's in a place of tremendous upheaval because of everything that they've gone through, everything that they've seen, everything that they've done, and the fact that she's been part of completely uprooting their son and his life. That they've had to say goodbye to everyone that they knew and loved in their home, and also this terrible thing that happens in the beginning of episode one that that she does, that causes them to go on the run again. It throws her into a tailspin and it brings up a lot of old history for her that we explore a little bit. This season she's dealing with the repercussions of everything that they've been through, what it means that the box exists, and what it's made of them and what they will do with that.

(L to R) Oakes Fegley, Jennifer Connelly and Joel Edgerton in 'Dark Matter', premiering August 28, 2026 on Apple TV.

MF: Jennifer, can you talk about creating the show's unique family dynamic with Joel and Oakes Fegley on set?

JC: So fun. I feel so lucky to have been working with both of them on this. It's really wonderful to work with people that are available in a scene and present. They are collaborative, engaged and listen, and you can really play and explore scenes. It's a wonderful privilege, and both of them are really kind, lovely and professional. It's it's like all good all around.

MF: Finally, Joel, what has it been like collaborating with series creator Blake Crouch and watching him execute his unique vision for this show?

JE: Look, he's a great dude. I mean, he's got a wonderful mind that goes well and truly beyond 'Dark Matter'. He's written a number of excellent books, and created these worlds, quite often with a glimmer of truthful science foundation or physics foundation. His books always come back to a very human place, which makes sense that when he went on to create screenplays and build a show, he become the showrunner. He's very interested in the human beings that he gathers around him, including his creative partners. He's incredibly confident in his creation, enough to invite us into the creative process, which means saying, "Now these characters are yours. What happens next? This is what I think. What do you think?" He's always regaining a sense of puppeteering over things, but asking you to pull a few strings here and there. If a good idea is brought to him, he's confident enough to absorb it, give credit where credit's due, knowing that the best idea wins, and that that's the spirit of creating a show. So, I can't speak highly enough of Blake, and this is, as I said, just one of his creations, there's more coming down the pike and there's more books on the shelf for people to explore.

(L to R) Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Connelly and Oakes Fegley in 'Dark Matter', now streaming on Apple TV.

What is the plot of 'Dark Matter' season 2?

In season two, the Dessens settle into a quiet life in a world that finally seems safe, until the unimaginable forces them to run once again. As Jason's (Joel Edgerton) obsession with the Box deepens, Daniela's (Jennifer Connelly) growing paranoia pushes her to the brink, threatening to tear their fragile stability apart. Elsewhere, Amanda (Alice Braga) and Ryan (Jimmi Simpson) join forces in a desperate attempt to find their way home. With Blair (Amanda Brugel) determined to stop him, Leighton relentlessly chases his grand vision of creating a perfect world.