Will Patton Discusses Outer Range Season 2s Ending and the Time Traveling [Exclusive]
[Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Outer Range Season 2]
The Big Picture
- Collider's Steve Weintraub speaks with Outer Range co-star Will Patton to discuss Season 2.
- Patton hints at Wayne's mysterious intentions with the dark mineral and discusses time travel and his hopes for Season 3.
- Patton also shares insights on working with the new showrunner, Charles Murray, and his experience on the sets of Apple TV's Silo , Michael Bay's Armageddon , and more.
Prime Video's sci-fi Western series Outer Range has been shrouded in mystery since its release two years ago. Particularly, that massive confession from Josh Brolin's Royal Abbott shook fans and the Abbott family alike. At long last, all seven episodes of Season 2 are available to binge on the streamer, and we've been given a little more to chew on as far as that west pasture is concerned. In the hopes of a Season 3 green light, we spoke with co-star Will Patton (Yellowstone) about his own theories from time travel to that dark mineral and more.
In the show, Patton plays Royal's adversary and neighbor, Wayne Tillerson. Tillerson, to this point, has been portrayed as a bit conniving in his efforts to take control of Royal's west pasture where the massive black hole resides. More precisely, it seems Wayne has a fixation on that dark mineral, and after that Season 2 finale, we were curious what Patton's thoughts were as to his character's true intentions. What exactly does Wayne know that we don't?
In this spoiler interview with Collider's Steve Weintraub, Patton rebuffs any attempt at digging too deep for that mineral's role in the series going forward, but he does offer his own theories, what he knows, as well as his thoughts on the Season 2 ending. He talks about his experience with this season's new showrunner, Charles Murray (The Devil You Know), traveling through space and time, and shares his experiences on the sets of Apple TV's Silo, No Way Out with Kevin Costner and Michael Bay's Armageddon.
You can read the full interview below.
Outer Range
Sci-FiWestern 10A rancher fighting for his land and family discovers an unfathomable mystery at the edge of Wyoming's wilderness.
Release Date April 15, 2022 Creator Brian Watkins Cast Josh Brolin , Lili Taylor , Tamara Podemski Seasons 2You've Probably Never Seen Will Patton Like This Before
"It reveals a certain part of me that is not usually able to be explored."
CloseCOLLIDER: You've done a lot of cool stuff in your career, but there's gonna be people out there that have never seen your work. If someone's never seen anything you've done, what's the first thing you'd like them watching and why?
WILL PATTON: See, I wish I could say my theater work because it’s the first thing that comes to mind. I always think back on recent things because that's the closest to what I've done, and there's something about the character in Minari. It reveals a certain part of me that is not usually able to be explored. For a while, I felt like I was just sort of playing tough guys, and there's something about the openness of that character. So, that jumps into my mind just off the top of my head. And also, I like that movie so much that [Lee Isaac Chung] made.
For sure. I think the first time I remember seeing you was in No Way Out with Kevin Costner, which is a great Cold War movie. What do you remember about actually making that one?
PATTON: Well, I remember that when I got cast in it, I was playing the part of a Montana hunter in a Sam Shepard play in New York and the director cast me based on that performance, which is pretty crazy because the guy I played in No Way Out is not remotely a Montana hunter. At that time, I thought, “This character is the least like me of any character I've ever seen.” I mean, I think at that point in my life, I hadn't necessarily even worn a tie that often, much less than in these kinds of situations, these formal situations in offices and stuff. So, I was extraordinarily challenged by that character and had to find something in myself to make it work. And I remember, of course, well, Kevin and I are still working together, but I remember so much working with Gene [Hackman] and how much that meant to me. I probably learned more from Gene Hackman than I did from any other actor I ever worked with.
Who Is Will Patton in Kevin Costner's 'Horizon: An American Saga'?
You've obviously stayed friends with Kevin because you're in his upcoming Western, Horizon [An American Saga: Chapter 1 and Chapter 2]. What can you tease about your role in that?
PATTON: Well, let's say he fought in the Civil War and he's heading across the plains with his three daughters, and trying to take care of his three daughters [laughs], moving across after he's been through the Civil War. They're going west and they encounter many things.
I'm seeing Chapter 1 at Cannes and I really can't wait. Jumping into why I get to talk to you, one of the things that I really enjoyed about Season 2 is the way that every character has more interactions with the hole, and because of the build-up of Season 1, it gets to further the characters by using the hole. What are you most excited for fans to see in Season 2?
PATTON: Well, I think what you're saying is kind of what it is to me, too, is that this hole represents some kind of metaphysical mystery. That's what interests me the most. It’s not trying to explain, but slowly finding these secrets that lie underneath the surface of things. And I think Wayne is always working on two or three levels at once. Time and space — what happens with time is what I think I'm probably most excited for people to see, that passage of time.
When I spoke to Josh for Season 1 he told me that he viewed this as a three-season show. When you signed on, did they tell you Wayne's full arc for the three seasons?
PATTON: [Laughs] Oh, no, no, no! No. Although, I make sure I know enough about the season I'm working on before I get too deep in, to turn the phrase.
CloseCharles Murray is the new showrunner in Season 2 and I thought he did a great job. What was it like working with him in Season 2?
PATTON: Very easy to work with him, very helpful. I was able to work with him on things. He was very open to my ideas and I think we're able to be good partners.
How would you actually compare the first season to the second season in terms of what fans can expect?
PATTON: I think you're ahead of me because you've seen the second season and I just did it. [Laughs] It's hard for me to remember exactly. I think you know more than me about that. I think it's just more of this really great story and this really great group of actors, like across the board. I'm very fond of the actors and just the fact that we all get to keep going on this remarkable story is, I think, exciting.
What's Motivating Wayne in 'Outer Range' Season 2?
In Season 2, what do you think Wayne knows about the mineral that the audience doesn't?
PATTON: I don't think he does. I think it's a question, something that he feels. I think that from the very beginning, it hasn't just been about greed or making more money. It's been about something that goes all the way back to when Royal and Wayne first met as little boys. Also, Wayne, he’s interested in some kind of transcendence. He's not just interested in getting more land or getting more money all along. He's been very, very curious and searching and having a longing for something that he doesn't quite understand. So, I don't think he has true knowledge, or maybe he has true knowledge but he doesn't have a knowledge that could be articulated. You know what I mean? He's feeling something and he's going for it.
You haven't seen it yet but there's this great shot where Wayne realizes that Perry is traveling in time. How long do you think Wayne has been using the mineral and trying to master its powers?
PATTON: I think this is a new thing for him. I mean, I think that he's just been discovering it along with everybody else. I remember Billy ends up snorting it in Season 1, doesn't he? And I think that's kind of the beginning of people ingesting it, as I remember. I don't even think Wayne necessarily knew this until Billy revealed it to him. We all sort of discovered it at the same time, as I remember.
100%. What was it like reading the scene where Wayne is gonna burn down his house, and also filming it?
PATTON: Of course, there are some very, very intense things that are happening in terms of what's being felt there with that extreme tragedy that takes place in their lives, Wayne, Billy, and Luke. It's about as bad as it can get. So, you're shooting something like that in the middle of the night — you're feeling it. You're feeling it. That tragedy is some pretty far out moments in that night.
Will Patton's Ready to Explore Time in 'Outer Range' Season 3
One of the interesting things about the finale is Perry is in an alternate timeline or about to completely redo the timeline everyone else is in.
PATTON: [Laughs] Yeah.
The thing about Season 2 is there are times when there are physical repercussions of something in the past like a nose being adjusted. So I'm just curious, what did Charles or Josh or anyone tell you about the finale and what it all means?
PATTON: I don't think there was any discussion of meaning. I mean, maybe there was. But I, again, like the idea that there's always just a secret underneath things that's about to be revealed, because you can almost feel what it is, but you can't quite grasp it yet. I think there are many, many layers to be explored inside these secrets. And I think that this thing about time is something maybe that we all are aware of when we let ourselves be aware of it, that time is not what we think it is. And that's just a fact.
I completely agree. You must have friends and family that are watching the show. What have been their questions to you as they watch it? I would imagine they must have some.
PATTON: I think they know better than to ask me too many questions. But I think the main question is, “When is there gonna be a Season 2? Where did it go? I'm really mad that we're not having a Season 2. What's going on?” So, that's basically the question is, “Where's Season 2? We’re losing our minds!”
What was your actual reaction when you read the scripts and heard about the storyline for Season 2? What were you most excited to film?
PATTON: What happens at the very end with Wayne beyond the house, beyond Billy. What happens, which I can't say. I'm very, very interested in the idea of time traveling, and I think there was an avenue for that inside of what had been written, and I'm interested in playing with time. I hope maybe we can go further with that.
RelatedIs the Future Predestined? 'Outer Range's Time Travel, Explained
Confused by Outer Range's use of time travel? So are we! Join us as we journey through the black hole together.
I'm very curious, assuming that Prime Video makes a Season 3, where it's gonna go because one of the things that Season 2 does so well is putting characters in different times and experiencing things, which I thought was really cool. It's not something that shows do too often.
PATTON: And I really love what goes on with the sheriff and that whole thing with the Native stuff. That's really, really great. That whole sequence with her and what happens. That was very exciting to me when I read the script. I was like, “Wow.”
I completely agree with you. That's one of the reasons why I really, really enjoyed Season 2 is the exploration of the different times and just using the hole more on the show.
PATTON: Yeah, me too. I agree. And I'm glad to hear you say that because some people are wanting it to be more like what you expect from a TV show, and I'm particularly interested in the metaphysical aspect.
Will Patton Shares What He Remembers From the Set of 'Armageddon'
CloseYes, we're on the exact same page. I definitely want to ask you something else, which is that I'm a huge Armageddon fan, Michael Bay. I definitely want to know what it was like making that film and if you can share any stories.
PATTON: Well, it went on for a long time. And those spacesuits were like some kind of French-designed spacesuits. I think Steve Buscemi was the only one whose spacesuit actually fit, so he was comfortable in it. The rest of us were practically suffocating, and the glass of the thing would fog up so you had that to deal with. Otherwise, it felt like we were working on an oil rig and went flying out into outer space. We were working on an oil rig for a long time, 195 miles in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, which I sort of remember more than the huge asteroid set that was in some studio we had. Boy, yeah. [Laughs] I have stories but they go on longer than we have.
Another thing I want to touch on, if you don't mind, is I'm a huge fan of the Apple TV series Silo. I thought that was just fantastic. Can you talk about being a part of that show and your experience and what you loved about it?
PATTON: I love Morten Tyldum, who was the director of my stuff, and Rebecca [Ferguson] and David Oyelowo, and Geraldine James. I loved all the actors that I was working with. Again, that's an interesting character, too, which I am proud of, and another color in terms of sometimes what people imagine Will Patton to be like. I like that character a lot and I love the actors I was working with, and I love the director, Morten.
All seven episodes of Outer Range Season 2 is available to stream on Prime Video now.
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