“We really wanted to go gritty, dark, and make it feel very real. We’re dealing with the Bratva, and the Bratva is, as we all know, a pretty interesting and messed-up institution. I might get shot for saying that, but hey!” she adds with a laugh.
The team did their share of research, with Mericle adding “Everyone on staff watched [the 2007 film] Eastern Promises. I watched documentaries about Bratva and how they operate in Russian prisons.”
Eastern Promises is a film that was released in 2007 Directed by David Cronenberg. In the film, a pregnant Russian teenager dies during childbirth, with only the baby surviving. The midwife Anna (played by Naomi Watts) discovers her diary, which leads her through the girl’s history with the Russian mafia, and it is far from pretty.
That won’t be the only part of Oliver’s past that is explored in the new season. Fans will also see Oliver throwdown with a new government enemy played by Dolph Lundgren.
“[Dolph’s character] is a government strongman,” Mericle previews. “He is scary and formidable — and he had a role in some stuff with Taiana’s family last season. He’s a bit of a badass.”
Source: TV Line
