Tulsa King star Neal McDonough shares a new update on season 3, teasing how his villain has become even more powerful. Created by Taylor Sheridan, the hit Paramount+ series returned for season 2 last year, introducing a handful of new characters as Sylvester Stallone’s Dwight “The General” Manfredi attempts to secure his criminal empire. McDonough’s Cal Thresher, a major player in Oklahoma’s drug trade, was one such new character, and he’s now poised to return in Tulsa King season 3, which is now in production.
In a recent interview with Collider, McDonough reveals that Thresher comes back in a big way in Tulsa King season 3, now serving as the governor of Oklahoma. The star explains that this evolution for Thresher was actually his idea, and executive producer David Glasser ended up writing it into the show. Check out McDonough’s explanation below:
“Now I play the governor on this season of Tulsa King. We were with David Glasser [executive producer] last year, and everybody said, ‘Tell him your idea. Tell him your idea.’ I said, ‘David, I’d like to come back as the governor next year.’ He thought about it and said, ‘That’s a good idea.’ I didn’t hear anything for two months… and then I get the call, ‘Okay, you’re back in Tulsa King again this year. You’ll start in two weeks.’ I read the script, and on the first page: Cal Thresher becoming governor of the great state of Oklahoma.”
What This Means For Tulsa King Season 3
Dwight Will Face New Challenges When The Paramount+ Show Returns
The Tulsa King season 2 ending sets Dwight up for at least one big problem in season 3. The season ends with Dwight being kidnapped and taken to an unknown location, with an unseen character telling him, “You work for us now.” It has been theorized that the government could be responsible for this surprise development, and, if true, that could set up a new dynamic between Thresher and Dwight in the episodes to come.
In season 2, Dwight ousts Thresher from his own weed business, taking control of the operation and letting McDonough’s character live. This, in turn, leads to Bill (Frank Grillo) killing Chickie (Domenick Lombardozzi) in order to get a bigger piece of this weed business as a partner. Thresher’s new position as governor could put him in a position to exert control over Dwight and others in Tulsa, potentially making him an overarching antagonist to a variety of powerful figures involved in criminal activities, especially given his own criminal knowledge and connections.
Our Take On Cal Thresher’s New Role In Tulsa King Season 3
Neal McDonough Could Emerge As A Key Character
Thresher was one of the more interesting characters introduced in Tulsa King season 2, and it’s a promising sign that he will be returning. This new position of political power he holds in the new episodes will shake things up in an exciting way, opening the door for a return in a potential Tulsa King season 4 and beyond as he solidifies his power. What will be interesting to see in the new episodes is how Thesher wields his new power and whether he falls back into his corrupt and criminal ways.
The ever-shifting alliances between various Tulsa King characters is part of what makes the show so effective. Season 2 shook things up with some shocking character deaths, as well as some surprising alliances. If Tulsa King continues to make Dwight’s story compelling in season 3, Thresher’s new position as governor could push the show into some fresh and entertaining territory.