- Primary Subject: Task Season 2 and Mare of Easttown universe crossover
- Key Update: The worlds of the two Brad Ingelsby HBO shows will merge in the upcoming second season of Task.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: July 9, 2026
- Quick Answer: Julianne Nicholson joins Task Season 2, reprising her Mare of Easttown role as Lori Ross and officially confirming both HBO shows share the same universe.
The worlds of the HBO shows Task and Mare of Easttown are officially merging as they will have a crossover in the former's upcoming second season.
Following the massive success of the first season last year, fans are now looking forward to the sophomore chapter of Task, which recently started filming and also bagged multiple Emmy nominations yesterday. The upcoming season is expected to tackle a different mission for Mark Ruffalo's Tom Brandis.
However, it looks like it will also cross paths with a character from another HBO show.
How Task Season 2 and Mare of Easttown Will Have a Crossover
Variety confirmed that Julianne Nicholson has joined the cast of the second season of Task and will reprise the role of Lori Ross from Mare of Easttown, merging the worlds of the two HBO shows.
While this may come as a huge surprise for some audiences, it should be noted that both shows are created by Brad Ingelsby and take place in the suburbs of Philadelphia.
The first season did not establish any connection to the world of Mare of Easttown, so there was an assumption that Task is a standalone show and has no connection to the previous Ingelsby show. Now, they are officially part of the same universe.
It remains unknown how Nicholson's character, Lori Ross, will figure into the story of the second season, which will have a different storyline and focus on a new group of the task force.
Now, the question is whether the second season of Task will bring back more characters from Mare of Easttown, including Kate Winslet's Mare Sheehan, who is a detective sergeant and can logically cross paths with Mark Ruffalo's Tom Brandis.
This is also exciting for fans who have been clamoring for a second season of Mare of Easttown, since this is a way for them to revisit the world in some capacity.
What to Expect in Task Season 2
The second season of Task centers on Tom Brandis (Mark Ruffalo) leading a brand-new task force, where the lines blur so deeply that identifying the actual target becomes nearly impossible.
Ruffalo will lead the ensemble cast for the sophomore chapter that includes Mahershala Ali, Harry Melling, Adam Nagaitis, Aminah Nieves, Edgar Ramirez, and the newly announced Julianne Nicholson.
Series creator Brad Ingelsby returns as writer, showrunner, and executive producer. He produces alongside Paul Lee, Mark Roybal, Jeremiah Zagar, Ruffalo, and Ron Schmidt, with Nicole Jordan-Webber and Karen Wacker serving as co-executive producers.
While HBO hasn't announced an official release window yet, the upcoming season will likely debut sometime in 2027.
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