MobLand is returning to Paramount+ for its second season, bringing back the central trio of Tom Hardy, Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren as the Harrigan crime family faces another dangerous chapter.
Hardy once again plays Harry Da Souza, the trusted fixer working for Irish crime bosses Conrad and Maeve Harrigan, portrayed by Brosnan and Mirren. After the events of the first season, the Harrigans are back in action, and the family appears to be heading into even more dangerous territory.
Brosnan and Mirren’s characters are both out of jail when the second season begins, something the actors themselves joked about while discussing the show’s return. Mirren described their release as happening “miraculously,” while Brosnan admitted that he had wondered how the characters would manage to get out.According to Brosnan, season two wastes little time before plunging viewers back into the Harrigans’ violent world. The season begins at a dog track with a major sequence involving plenty of action, immediately establishing that Conrad and Maeve have returned to their familiar ways.
“This second season kicks off with a bang — many bangs, actually — at the dog track, and they are in full Harrigan mode,” Brosnan said. He also teased a darker force developing beneath the action, describing an “undercurrent” and a sense of malevolence coming into the story.
That growing threat includes Kat Macallister, played by Janet McTeer, and her own fixer, Frankie, portrayed by Johnny Flynn. Frankie brings an unusual personality trait to the dangerous world of professional fixers: he is a serious germaphobe.
The contrast between Frankie’s obsession with cleanliness and the violent, unpredictable nature of his profession adds another layer to the character. Brosnan said the introduction of Frankie comes as something of a surprise for the Harrigans.”We get somewhat blindsided by [Frankie],” Brosnan said.
The second season also sees the return of Toby Jones as Colin Tattersall, the corrupt former police officer. Mirren praised the supporting cast, highlighting Jones, McTeer and Flynn as some of the strongest British actors working today.
Brosnan similarly praised the three performers, saying they are each “at the top of their game” and describing it as “beautiful to watch them work.” Mirren also expressed her appreciation for the show’s casting, saying she could not believe their good fortune in having such performers involved with the series.
Behind the scenes, the actors also credited the writing for attracting such a talented ensemble. The series is written and run by Jez Butterworth, the acclaimed British playwright whose work has helped shape the show’s distinctive crime drama.Brosnan was particularly enthusiastic about Butterworth’s scripts, describing them as exceptionally strong and praising him as one of the leading British playwrights.
At the center of the series, however, remain Hardy, Brosnan and Mirren. Their three characters form the core of MobLand, with Harry serving as the experienced fixer caught in the increasingly complicated world of the Harrigan family.
For Brosnan, playing Conrad has provided a role unlike most of the characters he has portrayed throughout his career. The actor is widely known for playing James Bond, but Conrad represents a very different kind of performance.
Brosnan did point to his 2005 film The Matador as one previous example of playing an unconventional character. In that film, he portrayed a troubled hitman, but he says Conrad takes that eccentricity to another level.
“There’s one of my movies called The Matador. He was pretty kind of crazy, whack job, hitman character — but nothing like this. This is pure lunacy,” Brosnan said.
He recalled that director Guy Ritchie, who is behind MobLand, gave him simple instructions when he was offered the part: “Go Irish, go mad.”
Brosnan embraced that direction, helping create the unpredictable Conrad that audiences saw in the first season and will see again in season two.The actor also addressed another major topic connected to his career: James Bond. With speculation continuing over who will become the next actor to play the iconic British spy, Brosnan said he is now simply waiting for the announcement alongside the rest of the audience.
“I’m just a member of the audience now — I will not find out before any of us. It’s exciting. It’s wonderful. It’s exhilarating. We all want to know,” Brosnan said.
Reports have circulated about potential contenders for the role, including Jack Barton, who has emerged as a reported frontrunner. Brosnan said whoever ultimately takes over the role has his support and offered some advice to the future Bond actor.
“Whoever the man is, I wish him well. Stand tall, stand strong, own it and be great,” he said.
For Mirren, meanwhile, MobLand has provided the opportunity to play one of the most significant characters of her career. The Oscar-winning actress, known for performances in films and television including The Queen, described Maeve as one of her top four career roles.
Mirren said she has been fortunate to portray numerous powerful women throughout her career across film, television and theater. Maeve, she explained, stands among the most rewarding of those roles because of the range the character allows her to explore.
“I’ve played many powerful women. I’ve been lucky enough to play some very, very powerful women and great, great roles, theater and film and television. Maeve is up there. Maeve is up there in the top four,” she said.
She also emphasized how much creative freedom the character gives her, describing the role as enormously entertaining.”Just in the variety that you can present, there is no limit. There’s no limit, and it’s enormous fun,” Mirren said.
As season two arrives, the future of MobLand is already becoming a topic of conversation. Hardy, Brosnan and Mirren are all looking ahead to a potential third season, although none of them appear to know exactly what creator Jez Butterworth has planned.
Brosnan said the actors are essentially waiting to see what will be revealed in season three, acknowledging that he does not know what the future holds for Conrad or the rest of the characters.Mirren joked that Brosnan is simply hoping their characters are still alive by the time the next season arrives.
With its central cast returning, new threats emerging and the Harrigans once again immersed in violence and power struggles, MobLand season two looks set to continue the crime saga while giving its acclaimed cast even more room to explore their unpredictable characters.
