Josh Dallas Talks ‘Manifest’ Finale and Future: “There’s Major Sequel or Spinoff Potential”

The missing-plane drama Manifest has had a hell of a ride. First came the now infamous cancellation by NBC, followed by months of uncertainty over the show’s remaining two seasons and then culminating in a last-minute, 20-episode order from Netflix. The second half of the abbreviated final season will hit the streamer June 2 — right in the middle of the WGA strike that prohibits its prolific writer-showrunner, Jeff Rake, from promoting the series.

Luckily for the show, star Josh Dallas (who plays Flight 828 passenger Ben Stone and will appear at the ATX TV Festival with other castmembers June 1) is picking up the baton. He spoke to THR — while enjoying his time at home in L.A. with his wife, actress Ginnifer Goodwin, and their two young children after five years of production in New York — about Manifest‘s marquee ending and the state of episodic television going forward.

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What was your reaction to the plot of the show’s final episode?

I had a deal with Jeff from the very beginning that I didn’t want to know how it was going to end, so when we did the final table read, I was in tears the whole time. It’s twofold, right? It’s bittersweet because we’re saying goodbye to these characters and this world, and also to the TV family we’ve created, the crew and everyone we’ve worked with for the past five years. It was charged. But as far as the ending, Jeff has known how he wanted to end this story since the very beginning.

What kind of emotional resolution did you want for your character?

I wanted him to learn from his experience and be able to do things over again with a new perspective. If there was a sequel after the final scene, I hope he would go forward armed with knowledge and tools to take life as a gift.

So you envision a scenario in which there’s a reboot or sequel? Maybe like a “flash sideways” on Lost?

I think there’s major sequel or spinoff potential here. Maybe we go into the future and see Eden [his character’s daughter] at 21 or so as she’s navigating the world, or we follow the younger passengers. Maybe we go back to 2013 and deep dive into the investigation with [NSA director] Vance.

If you look at the TV landscape today compared with 2011, when you started on Once Upon a Time, could you have imagined booking another show with 100-plus episodes?

I have been extremely lucky so far when it comes to that. I definitely think that the days of shows running for five or seven seasons are going away, and there are pluses and minuses to that. It’s a great shame that we’re losing the longevity that doesn’t exist in other mediums, to be able to explore the evolution of a character and a story. On the other hand, shorter seasons allow storytelling to be concise and exciting.

Is there anything to be replicated from the process of Manifest being canceled by NBC and picked up by Netflix?

Honestly, I don’t think there’s much you can do beyond trying to make the best thing you possibly can and hope it connects with people. Once Upon a Time and Manifest are similar in terms of their genre-leaning audiences, always the greatest TV watchers because they’re so passionate about their shows. It is a huge part of why we came back. I wish there was a formula. If anyone knows it, please put in the comments below. (Laughs.)

Do you feel extra pressure to promote the show while Jeff Rake is on strike?

There’s certainly a feeling of responsibility because I want to do right by Jeff and celebrate the show in the way it deserves, but at the same time I want to support Jeff and all our writers in their negotiations and what they’re going through. There’s no pressure, though, only joy and gratefulness when I talk about it. If I mess anything up, we’ll have to call him after the strike.

Interview edited for length and clarity.

This story first appeared in the May 31 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.

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