Rian Johnson has built a reputation on clever twists and surprise reveals. Whether it's in his Knives Out films or the hit whodunnit series Poker Face.

The director revealed that Season 2 of Poker Face, which is currently streaming on Stan, brought with it a slew of impressive guest stars including none other than Cynthia Erivo.

Speaking exclusively with 9Entertainment, Johnson revealed what it was really like to work with the Wicked star.

"Working with Cynthia Erivo, was an absolute dream," Johnson shared.

Erivo's performance kicked off Season 2 of Poker Face with the Oscar-nominated guest star playing not one, not two buyt five identical sisters, all with distinct personalities in the memorable premiere episode.

As Season 2 streams, Johnson, an acclaimed filmmaker, is taking viewers on another wild ride with Natasha Lyonne's lie-detecting drifter Charlie Cale.

According to Johnson, who's also behind the Knives Out films, this new chapter is a love letter to the episodic TV of his youth, with a healthy dose of murder, madness, and mischief.

"The whole thing kind of started with me just wanting to tap into the pleasures of the type of TV I grew up watching," Johnson told 9Entertainment. "There's Columbo and The Rockford Files, but also Quantum Leap, Knight Rider, The Fall Guy and Murder, She Wrote. Really episodic, story-of-the-week shows that were all built around a great character."

That sense of nostalgic playfulness is what makes Poker Face so unique.

Each episode feels like its own mini-movie, complete with new settings, genres, and guest stars. "It's like being able to jump into a different playground with each episode," Johnson added.

Season 2 doubles down on that concept, with Johnson revealing a personal favourite episode set in the world of baseball. "I'm a big baseball fan. My wife and I are very big Los Angeles Dodgers fans. Getting to do an episode in that space was close to my heart."

As much as the show thrives on genre and setting, its biggest strength lies in Natasha Lyonne's magnetic performance and Johnson clearly relishes working with his long-time friend.

"Working with Natasha, you get a surprise every day – in the best way," he said. "Her brain operates at a very high frequency and she's very creative. We're both big puzzle fans. She always says I've got the Hitchcock side and she's got the Salvador Dalí side."

Salvador Dalí, was a Spanish surrealist artist renowned for his technical skill, precise craftsmanship, and the striking and bizarre images in his work.

"That collaboration really works", says Johnson. It keeps me on my toes and pushes me to make choices I wouldn't have thought of on my own."

But writing a mystery series like Poker Face comes with its own set of challenges, especially because Charlie isn't a detective or a cop.

"That's maybe the biggest challenge of the show," Johnson explained. "You need a personal way in for her every episode. She has to form a relationship with someone, usually the killer or sometimes the victim, that pulls her in. It has to matter to her."

Johnson said he's avoided leaning into larger mythology or serialized backstory. "I didn't want to get into a heavy arc about her past or some big long story you have to keep track of. Every episode is a little version of that, about who she meets and befriends."

Part of the fun for audiences (and for Johnson himself) is simply seeing how Charlie ends up in all these bizarre situations – and how she talks her way out.

"It's sort of part of the fun and the mystery of it as well."

"There's an episode called A Taste of Human Blood that stars Kumail Nanjiani playing an absolutely bonkers character named Gator Joe – you've never seen him do something like this before."

Later in the season, viewers can look forward to an episode written by Megan Amram titled The Sleazy Georgian.

"It stars John Cho and Melanie Lynskey," Johnson revealed. "I think they're both such wonderful actors."

The guest list may be stacked, but the writers' room deserves just as much credit for keeping the twists fresh and the murder methods original, though sometimes, maybe a little too original.

"We have a lot of sick and twisted writers," Johnson laughed. "Sometimes I have to pull back the reins on some of the murder methods being proposed. But that's part of the fun – trying to surprise ourselves with each episode."

And it's not always about death, either. One episode this season is set in a grade school and was born from the idea of building a Poker Face episode around the lowest possible stakes. "What if it isn't somebody getting murdered?" Johnson mused.

"But because we're inside the microcosm of grade school politics, I think it's actually one of the tenser episodes of the whole season."

With the full second season now streaming on Stan, fans may be wondering how long Charlie's adventures can continue. "I don't know," Johnson admitted. "Columbo ran for 30 years! But I've always taken the attitude of, 'Get the current thing done and then see what happens next.'"

Ultimately, it all comes down to passion. "The thing that really makes the show tick is all of us just being excited about doing it. If people dig it and we all want to do more, then we'll do more."

New episodes of Poker Face drop Thursdays 9pm (AEST) only on Stan.

Stream Poker Face only on Stan.

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