Martha Plimpton and Silvia Dionicio are coming back for Season 2 of HBO's Task, joining a cast that has grown substantially since the network decided the show would not stay a one-off.

Deadline broke the news on 29 July 2026 that Plimpton will reprise her role as Kathleen McGinty, an FBI Supervisory Senior Resident in Charge, while Dionicio returns as Emily Brandis, the adopted teenage daughter of Mark Ruffalo's character Tom Brandis. Ruffalo is back as well, headlining the second season as FBI agent Brandis. (Deadline)

Task was originally conceived as a limited series — a self-contained story with no plan for continuation. HBO renewed it for a second season in November 2025 after the first season's performance, as Deadline reported at the time. The decision turned a closed-ended drama into an ongoing one, and Season 2's casting reflects that expansion.

The new season finds Brandis taking the helm of a new task force where, as the operation runs deeper, it gets harder to tell who the real target is. Brad Ingelsby, who created the series, continues as writer, showrunner, and executive producer. (Deadline)

Most of the Season 2 cast will be new talent, with Plimpton's role expected to carry more weight this time around. The incoming roster is heavy on names familiar to film and television audiences: Mahershala Ali as Eddie Barnes, Harry Melling as Brennan Boylan, Adam Nagaitis as Luke Clemmons, Aminah Nieves as Nataly Zamora, and Edgar Ramírez as Miguel Contreras. (Deadline)

One addition stands out for what it connects. Julianne Nicholson is joining Season 2 to reprise her Emmy-winning Mare of Easttown role as Lori Ross, setting up a crossover between the two Ingelsby-created series. That crossover links Task to a show that aired in 2021 and won Nicholson a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. (Deadline)

Behind the camera, Season 2 will feature an all-women directing team, as reported by Collider and TV Insider in June 2026.

The first season's cast also included Phoebe Fox, Mireille Enos, and Coral Peña, the latter two cast in November 2024 per Deadline. Which of those Season 1 faces beyond Plimpton and Dionicio will return alongside Ruffalo has not been confirmed.

Justin Kroll contributed to the Deadline exclusive on the Season 2 casting. (Deadline)

No premiere date for Season 2 has been announced.