'Legion' season 2 adds 'Wonder Woman' scene-stealer Saïd Taghmaoui in a major role

As expected, the news out of Comic-Con International has been fast and furious and the latest scoop concerns FX’s wildly original and visually spectacular superhero drama, Legion. The show stars Dan Stevens as David Haller, a schizophrenic young mutant with powerful psychic abilities, the eccentric cast of characters that surrounds him is just as entertaining.

As reported by ComingSoon, that cast will soon have a new member. FX has announced that Saïd Taghmaoui is set to join the show (Beware: Major season 1 spoilers on the way!), as Amahl Farouk: The true form of the Shadow King. As fans who made their way through the first season will know, the villain has taken several forms thus far, including “the Devil with the Yellow Eyes” and Haller’s friend Lenny (Aubrey Plaza).

Recently, Taghmaoui starred as the quick-thinking slickster Sameer in Wonder Woman and the actor has also appeared in films like American Hustle and Three Kings. Here is what the network had to say about the character he will portray in Legion:

“… [a] villain with a thousand faces. In his real form, he is always nattily dressed. Dapper with a thin Clark Gable style mustache. His eyes forever hidden behind a pair of ornate sunglasses. He was hip long before there was such an idea. He can seductively hold court on any topic and in any language, but his true passion lies in the singular timeless notion of power and amassing as much of it as possible…It is rumored he is the spawn of the first nightmare, which is fitting because fear is his weapon of choice in exposing weakness in others. To Farouk, fear equals weakness and he fears nothing. Which is why he takes such delight in seeing others squirm — a reminder he is more powerful than them.”

For the uninitiated, Legion is based on the Marvel Comics by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz and has received rave reviews from critics and fans alike for its unique take on the superhero genre — think X-Men directed by Stanley Kubrick. Apart from those mentioned above, the series stars Rachel Keller (Syd Barrett), Bill Irwin (Cary Loudermilk), and Jeremie Harris (Ptonomy Wallace).

Season 2 of Legion is expected to be 10 episodes long and has yet to set a premiere date. We will keep you updated as information becomes available.