Joel McHale has joined the cast of “Yellowjackets” for Season 3 in a guest star role, Showtime announced Tuesday. It’s not yet known who the “Community” alum will play, but it’s far more likely that he’ll appear in the contemporary storyline with Christina Ricci, Melanie Lynskey and Tawny Cypress than in the 1996 timeframe.
Male characters on the show have not fared so well, so start laying your bets about the odds of McHale making it to the end of the season.
We’re also not clear if his role will be as meaty as Elijah Wood’s, who was an integral part of Season 2 as Citizen Detective Walter Tattersall, or as fleeting as “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” star John Cameron Mitchell, who appeared in just one hallucinogen-induced scene in a single episode.
Season 3 of the Emmy-nominated Showtime series won’t be released until 2025. Co-creator Ashley Lyle told TheWrap earlier this year that the third installment will be “a little bit of a return to Season 1 in terms of vibe,” referring to the extremes the stranded high school soccer team will go to in order to survive in the wilderness.
Lyle didn’t get into specifics, cryptically teasing, “All I will say is that the girls have been out there for a while and they’re thriving.” Season 2 proved deadly for both the teenagers and their adult counterparts, but we assume everyone who wasn’t eaten or accidentally killed will be back in Season 3.
McHale stars in and executive produces the Fox sitcom “Animal Control” and also has a recurring role as Chef David Fields — the one who traumatized lead character Carmy — on “The Bear.” He will also reprise his role as Jeff Winger in the upcoming “Community” movie, based on the comedy series of the same name.
The busy talent will also continue to host and executive produce Fox’s “Crime Scene Kitchen” as well as E!’s “House of Villains.”
The actor previously starred in the 2018 Netflix series “The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale”and hosted E!’s “The Soup” from 2004-2015.
McHale is repped by UTA and Ziffren Brittenham LLP.
“Yellowjacktets” is executive produced by Lyle, Bart Nickerson and fellow showrunner Jonathan Lisco. Drew Comins of Creative Engine serves as executive producer along with Jeff Byrd, Sarah L. Thompson, Ameni Rozsa and Brad Van Arragon. The series is produced for Showtime by Lionsgate.
