Poker Face Canceled Before Season 3 — Rian Johnson Eyes Revival With Peter Dinklage Replacing Natasha Lyonne as Charlie Cale
If Poker Face scores season 3, expect Charlie Cale’s boldest reinvention yet—one that could upend the chase, rewrite the stakes, and change who she is on the run.
Well, this is a twist: Peacock is walking away from one of its own hits. Despite being among the service's top performers, the streamer is not renewing Natasha Lyonne's mystery procedural 'Poker Face' for a third season. Yes, that 'Poker Face' — the weekly lie-detecting road show that actually delivered.
So what now?
Creator Rian Johnson isn't done. According to Deadline, he wants to move the series to a new home. The plan is already surprisingly specific — and a little gutsy. If the show finds another streamer, Lyonne would step away from the lead, and Peter Dinklage (yep, 'Game of Thrones' Peter Dinklage) would take over as Charlie Cale. Same character, new face. No in-story reset, no new identity; just Charlie, as played by someone else.
That sounds unusual because it is. TV swaps actors all the time, but replacing a lead with a totally different performer while keeping the exact same character — not a new version, not a reboot — is rare. Think Bond actor changes, but weirder: it's the same Charlie Cale, the human lie detector, just with a different actor stepping in.
'We have been germinating this next move together since writing the season two finale. We love our Poker Face and this is the perfect way to keep it rolling,' Johnson and Lyonne said in a joint statement. 'Give us a beat and we may just see Charlie Cale again down that open highway.'
The longer game
Johnson's concept isn't a one-off stunt. The idea is to rotate in a new, unexpected actor as Charlie every two seasons, keeping the premise fresh and the show rolling for a while — assuming someone picks it up. If that happens, Lyonne would stay on as an executive producer even as she exits the driver’s seat onscreen.
- Peacock is not renewing 'Poker Face' for season 3, despite strong viewership.
- Johnson is shopping the series to other streamers.
- If revived, Peter Dinklage would play Charlie Cale, the same role Lyonne originated.
- The plan is to recast Charlie with a new actor every two seasons.
- Natasha Lyonne would remain an executive producer on the potential new run.
- Seasons 1 and 2 are still streaming on Peacock.
Bottom line: 'Poker Face' isn't dead yet. It's just waiting for a new set of keys — and maybe a new face behind the wheel.