Laura Bailey and Travis Willingham Reveal Their Wishlist For A Potential Dispatch 2 [Exclusive]

The world of Critical Role has expanded immensely in the last ten years, with the Actual Play TTRPG growing to become a massive fantasy franchise full of intrigue, adventure, comedy, and raw emotion. The show itself is still going strong in its fourth campaign under the steady hand of Brennan Lee Mulligan, while adaptations of their previous campaigns — The Legend of Vox Machina and The Mighty Nein — have become massive hits on Prime Video. Critical Role has even thrown its weight behind companies like Ad Hoc, which delivered last year’s surprise hit game, Dispatch.

While there aren’t any formal announcements about the future of that series, some of the stars of Critical Role have their hopes high for a follow-up. In fact, they even have some ideas for what they would want to see next in the series. During an interview with ComicBook at the LVLUP Expo in Las Vegas, Critical Role stars Travis Willingham and Laura Bailey revealed their hopes for the future of the series.

CB: I know you can’t give me any formal news for Dispatch 2, which hasn’t been officially announced, but I’ve got to ask — what would be on your wishlist for a potential sequel? Which characters do you want to see more in the spotlight?

Travis Willingham: Even before the game came out, the first time I played it, I was like, ‘How much of this world is there? Do you guys have a plan to do more of this?’ [The team at Ad Hoc] looked at me like I was an idiot [Laughter]. The answer was an obvious yes, of course. But I haven’t heard anything about any plans or any timeline for a potential Dispatch 2.

They certainly have to make the thing, which can take a second. I would want to see a little bit more of the fuck-ups. I want to see Malevola and Punch-Up get into it. I want to see a little bit of their origins. I love the little tastes that we got. I want to see where they came from. What led them to the SDN in the first place?

Laura Bailey: I want to see a Malevola/Sonar romance. I want it so bad. I want to see more Water Boy! I loved Water Boy. And more Roid!

Travis Willingham: Roid made me fall in love with the first two chapters of the game. After the bathroom scene, I remember texting the Ad Hoc people and telling them that Roid must be protected at all costs. I think the other thing would be, because I don’t have complete Area 51 backstage access to Ad Hoc — Phenomaman was demoted from another branch of the SDN, right? There are other branches around. I want to see that team.

Laura Bailey: Yeah, the varsity squad. We’re following the JV or the delinquents. Maybe even have a classic class of the fuck-ups vs. the pros. That would be great.

The rest of our interview with Travis Willingham and Laura Bailey continues below, as we discussed the upcoming seasons of The Legend of Vox Machina and The Mighty Nein, the joys of Critical Role’s fourth campaign, and reflected on the success of the recent CR Charity Stream.

CB: The trailer for Season 4 of The Legend of Vox Machina just dropped, and it looks great.

Travis Willingham: Yeah, it’s the first sneak peek at everything to come, including the beautiful and lovely Taryon Darrington.

Laura Bailey: We’re very excited. It’s beautiful. I feel like every season it just keeps looking better and better and better. It gets more refined as the action gets more creative.

Travis Willingham: We’re super lucky. The whole animation team takes such pride in giving us stuff that looks amazing. Every season, they’ve gotten new artistic flair; the shading is better, the action is even more kick ass.

Season 4 is building up to what has already been announced to be the fifth and final season. What’s it like seeing the series approach the ending like that, especially here at something like LVLUP?

Travis Willingham: Oh gosh, I didn’t even think about that. It just came out, and now everybody’s going to be freaking out and have a ton of conspiracy theories and hypotheses. I think the exciting thing is that there’s just enough in the trailer to get people excited.

We go over [the trailers] with a fine-tooth comb to make sure that there’s enough of a visual tease for certain situations and characters but that it also doesn’t reveal or give away too much. Hopefully, there will be some questions.

Laura Bailey: June 3rd isn’t that far away!

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Travis Willingham: It’s also a challenge in knowing that we have this season and the next to land the plane, as it were, and make a story and an ending that feels really satisfying. It’s also going to be surprising for existing fans and new fans alike.

Laura Bailey: We want it to be a new treat for people, even if they know the story. We want to have a few surprises for them as well.

CB: There’s also Season 2 of The Mighty Nein coming down the pipeline as well. What can you tease for that?

Travis Willingham: We were so happy with the response to Season 1. We left off with Yasha finally meeting the Mighty Nein in the tunnels underneath Rexxentrum. Obviously, that’s going to have to resolve itself somehow. I don’t know when Amazon is eyeing the release date for that, but that second season is almost entirely finished, so it’ll be ready soon. It depends on where they want to drop it in their slate.

Laura Bailey: That’s why I’m not saying anything, because I can’t remember what was revealed [Laughter].

CB: Also, congrats on the Critical Role charity stream!

Laura Bailey: Thank you! Sam did such a good job. He slept for 10 hours after. He is still exhausted [Laughter]. We flew into [Las Vegas for the LVLUP Expo], and a few people went out to a tiki room bar. He was like, ‘I’m gonna order food and crash.’ He said he was out by 9 and woke up at 9. His body’s still in recoup mode. His voice is still, like four octaves lower than it normally is.

Travis Willingham: We have to tip our hat not just to Sam but to the entire Critical Role production team. I think they had three different teams that moved in shifts around the clock. They worked their butts off. Kirby Winslow, Ashley Middlebrook, and everyone jumped in. We even had an EMS there, which we don’t normally have for things Critical Role, just on standby, just in case Sam fell asleep.

Campaign 4 is still going strong, too. What have been some of your favorite aspects of this year, and seeing how Brennan Lee Mulligan is running it?

Travis Willingham: The world that he weaves is so complex and intricate, and the lore is so rich and fully realized. Every time we turn a corner or go on some new voyage, it’s just pulling back the curtain on a whole new section of Aramán. I think the thing that has not disappointed is the level of detail that exists in all the houses and all the machinations that have been happening behind the scenes. I think the delight, at least for myself, has been watching the three tables peel back different parts of the world. The soldiers, the seekers, and now the schemers are just an absolute riot to watch, because all the dynamics are so different. It’s been fun to see how different each table is, the way they approach different things, and the dynamics and everything, I think.

Laura Bailey: I just felt this immediate connection to the story that Brennan was telling. I mean, even before we started the stream, I was in love with the character of Thjazi. I was so excited to be a part of that story. Legitimately, in the first episode, I knew Brennan told everyone that this was going to start with an execution, that Thjazi’s going die. But he did tee it up so that maybe we could stop it; I was certain we could. I was like, ‘Listen, if I roll a 20 at the right times, I’m going be able to get him out. I know it. Brennan’s just gonna have to rewrite everything because Thjazi is gonna survive.’ I really, really thought I had a genuine shot! Then Brennan made me wake up, and he was already dead [Laughter]. I was devastated!

Travis Willingham: It’s wild. We are used to trying to surprise Matt Mercer in our former campaigns, or make a choice that really expands the sandbox that he’s already prepared, or just get him as kerfuffled as possible, because we’re always on our heels. Then you see Brennan, and you see the joy on his face. It’s like hitting an advent calendar, and you’re like, ‘Oh, I get to open this door now! Now I get to open this one!’ It’s like being a kid in a candy shop.

Laura Bailey: When you get a reaction from him where his mouth just kind of drops open a little and he takes a second to reset? It’s great.