An exhilarating HBO crime drama that premiered last year has just enlisted a two-time Oscar-winning star for a significant role in its forthcoming second series.

Variety has announced that actor Mahershala Ali will be joining the second series of Task, alongside returning star Mark Ruffalo.

Conceived by Brad Ingelsby (Mare of Easttown), Task's inaugural series followed Ruffalo's FBI agent Tom Brandis in Philadelphia who is assigned to lead a task force probing violent thefts targeting stash houses under the control of perilous motorcycle gangs.

Ozark star Tom Pelphrey co-starred as refuse collector and burglar Robbie Prendergrast alongside an all-star cast that also featured Emilia Jones (CODA), Fabien Frankel (House of the Dragon), Alison Oliver (Wuthering Heights) and Martha Plimpton (Prime Target).

Ruffalo and Ali are currently the only confirmed cast members for series two, which will see Brandis joining a new team to tackle a fresh investigation, reports the Mirror.

A synopsis reads: "Tom Brandis takes the helm of a new task force, but the deeper the operation runs, the harder it is to tell who's the target."

Ali will portray a character named Eddie Barnes, described as "a seasoned and well-respected DEA agent in Philadelphia whose team comes into conflict with Tom's unit."

He previously starred in the third series of HBO's other acclaimed crime series, True Detective, and has won Academy Awards for performances in the films Moonlight and Green Book.

Anticipation for Task's eagerly-awaited second series will be exceptionally high following the first season's remarkable 96 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and its current position as a leading contender for this year's Emmy Awards. Numerous viewers regarded it as amongst, if not the finest new programme of 2025.

One IMDb user declared: "Task is absolutely, without a doubt, one of the best new shows of the year.

"Everything about it is terrific...the acting, writing, directing, cinematography, etc, etc. It's HBO at its best. Mark Ruffalo and Tom Pelphrey are both amazing actors who have both been nominated for a ton of awards and this might be some of the best work of their careers."

"Even 10 out of 10 wouldn't be enough," another enthused. "Wow!! Just wow! I have never watched a TV series where every actor delivers such an excellent performance.

"The emotions that washed over me were overwhelming - I felt deeply moved, caught between sadness and joy. It gripped me straight from the bottom of my heart. Words of appreciation aren't enough to express the impact and artistic brilliance of this series."

A further admirer described Task as "one of the best [shows] I've ever watched", featuring an "award-worthy" leading turn from Ruffalo.

Whilst a final viewer stated: "This has to be one of the best (if not the best) series I have seen in the streaming era. Amazing settings, beautiful cinematography and superb acting all around." Ensure Task is immediately added to your watchlist as soon as HBO Max launches in the UK this Thursday.

Task is available to stream on Sky and NOW and on HBO Max from Thursday, 26th March.