The Fallout universe is about to have a Kevin problem. A casting twist has sent ripples through the dystopian wasteland of Fallout, Amazon’s hit sci-fi series based on the iconic role-playing video game franchise by Bethesda.
Home Alone legend Macaulay Culkin will join Fallout’s much-anticipated second season as the production moves to Mojave desert, the setting of Fallout: New Vegas. The news was first reported by Deadline, and while it hasn’t been fully disclosed what role the 90s child star will portray, it is known that Culkin’s character will be a ‘crazy-genius type’.
The Fallout universe is home to a few of these. That said, since Amazon’s Fallout series debut in 2024, it became one of the few video game adaptations that captured both critical and fan acclaim. While many game-inspired shows struggle to translate their source material, Fallout has brought the post-apocalyptic dystopian setting to life thanks to a fresh take on the franchise’s roots.
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This success is due in no small part to the vision of Jonathan Nolan and co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet, who have crafted a story that both newcomers and long-time fans of the games can enjoy, helped by video games director Todd Howard.
While the Fallout TV series doesn’t simply retell one of the game stories, it has taken the infamous premise of a world ravaged by nuclear war and started a new questline. This only draws on elements from across the Fallout series, such as setting, lore, and subtle and classy nods to the games’ dark humor.
What has pushed the series towards a monumental success is a strong ensemble cast at its core, led by Ella Purnell of Yellowjackets and Arcane fame, who plays Lucy MacLean a vault-dweller. She’s accompanied by Aaron Moten who plays Maximus, a member of the para-military group Brotherhood of Steel, and Walton Goggins as “The Ghoul,” radiotrophic remains of what once was TV cowboy Cooper Howard.
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Macaulay Culkin joining the Fallout TV series season two is not surprising. While his role remains a mystery gimmick, the actor is a definition of quirky charm and eccentricity and the dosage is just right for a Fallout role. Whether Amazon and the prolific crew behind the series create an original character or adapt one of the game’s mad genius types, inspiration should come in waves.
One possibility is Arcade Israel Gannon from Fallout: New Vegas, a witty and clever doctor with the Followers of the Apocalypse who has an air of moral complexity. With blonde hair and a sharp intellect, Arcade’s character could be a natural fit for Culkin. He could also fit the darker, morally inconsistent villainous genius Myron from Fallout 2 who became infamous for synthesizing drugs and more.
However, let’s take into regard the show’s first-season characters and how these are handled. Based on that, it is more likely that Jonathan Nolan and his team of creatives will craft an entirely original role for Culkin, one that pulls from various Fallout archetypes.
Whatever their take on Culkin’s casting is, undoubtedly, this unpredictable addition to an already stellar cast will push Fallout to new, unexplored levels of video game adaptation fame.