Yellowjackets Season 3 is happening – and this is what we know so far.
Showtime has produced some of the best shows in the last few decades. From the still rewatchable Dexter to the hilarious Shameless and its amazing cast to even the dramedy Weeds, Showtime has come out with shows that have changed how we view television, filled with thrilling series and hilarious comedies. One that has gotten even more popular over the last few years is the thriller Yellowjackets.
The series follows two time periods -- in the past, it follows a high school soccer team whose plane crash lands in the Canadian wilderness, and now they have to find a way to survive the winter. In the present, someone risks all of their secrets from their times in the forest, threatening to release them to the public, and they must find a way to stop them.
After two suspenseful seasons, Yellowjackets Season 3 is confirmed, but when will this season come out? And what is the story going to be about? For all the questions you have, this is what we know so far about the next installment.
What Is The Yellowjackets Season 3 Premiere Date?
As of December 2023, Yellowjackets Season 3 has no set premiere date. But it could come out in 2024 as part of the 2024 TV premiere schedule.
It wouldn’t be surprising if we had to wait a little longer for Season 3, though. From Season 1 to Season 2, we had to wait about a year – the first season was released in 2021, while the second season began airing in early 2023 and ended in about May. We might have had to wait a little over a year for another season, but everything was put on hold because of the WGA Strike and the SAG-AFTRA Strike.
Thankfully, both of those strikes are resolved now, so hopefully, we’ll get some updates soon on when to expect it.
Most Of The Main Cast Is Expected To Return
Since we don’t have a confirmation of when the show will return, we also don’t have confirmation of who is going to come back, but we can expect that most of the Yellowjackets cast will return.
This would include Melanie Lynskey, Sophie Nélisse, Tawny Cypress, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Steven Krueger, Christina Ricci, Samantha Hanratty, Sophie Thatcher, Simone Kessell, Courtney Eaton, Lauren Ambrose, Liv Hewson, and more.
If you're wondering who the Pit girl is going to be, here are our theories.
The one person we’re sure is not coming back (at least for a main role) in Season 3 is Juliette Lewis, who played the adult Natalie, as she was killed in the Yellowjackets Season 2 finale twist. Lewis even confirmed her time playing the character in a leading role capacity had come to an end in a post on Instagram in May 2023:
She could come back in some guest star capacity, as Ella Purnell did with Jackie in Season 2, despite her dead character, but no one knows for sure now.
Misty Is “Not OK” After The Season 2 Finale
For those who don’t remember what Misty did in the intense Yellowjackets Season 2 finale, Misty mistakenly killed Natalie when she was trying to inject Lisa with phenobarbital. Natalie, however, jumped in front of her and took it. This, in turn, will lead to a lot of conflict and pain for Misty, according to Christina Ricci.
In an interview with The Wrap in May 2023, Ricci was quick to confirm that Misty is “not OK” after what happened to Natalie:
The last time we see her, she’s sobbing into Walter’s arms. So I don’t think that she’s OK.
Furthermore, in an interview with Variety in May 2023, Ricci further confirmed that Misty’s injection was a “complete mistake” and that her doing what she did was a “disastrous decision” that she never wanted:
It was a complete mistake. She made an impulsive choice — another characteristically immature, impulsive, selfish choice where she was going to kill the person who was going to hurt her friend. Not wanting her friends taken away, it’s about keeping what she wants. It was a disastrous decision.
I feel this will get quite messy for Misty – and Season 3 will be just as intense as we know this show to be.
Coach Ben Is Getting Scared By The Girls In Season 3 – Namely Natalie
Something else that fans saw in Season 2 of Yellowjackets was Coach Ben and how he’s finally starting to come around to how dangerous the girls are by the end of Season 2. He’s so spooked that he makes a run for it when their cabin goes up in flames at the end of the Season.
Sophie Thatcher, who plays young Natalie, actually had the chance to speak about Coach Ben and his dynamic with Natalie in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in May 2023, and how it’s going to change in Season 3 thanks to what he’s seeing and how he’s starting to be scared of her:
I’m so curious about their dynamic! Because they used to be the two outcasts and the point of connection. They only had each other. And he’s scared of her now. Or, is beginning to be. You see that shift. After that scene, she’s looking through a different lens. She has a different viewpoint, and he sees that very immediately.
So far, in modern-day scenes, we have not seen Coach Ben, which doesn’t necessarily paint him in the best chances for his survival.
The Showrunners Are “Deep” In The Process Of Writing Season 3
Fear not if you were wondering if any of the story was written for Season 3 of Yellowjackets. We learned from Variety in December 2023 that the showrunners were “deep” into the writing process of Season 3. Ashley Lyle, one of the showrunners, confirmed the news at the Q&A for SAG-AFTRA nomination committee members:
We’re deep in the writing…everybody came back so incredibly enthusiastic, raring to go, and creatively invigorated…we’re having so much fun and are very excited about it.
This makes me more excited for what’s to come in Season 3 – I need this next year to go by fast.
The Showrunners Plan Is For The Show To Go For Five Seasons
The last thing we know is that Season 3 hopefully won't be the end, at least based on what was said by the showrunners of Yellowjackets. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly in March 2023, Ashley Lyle said that the plan is for Yellowjackets to be a five-season show:
The original plan was about five seasons, and we feel like we're still on track for that…we don't really see this as being more than a five-season show. I think that there are shows that can go forever, but I think that when you're telling such a deeply serialized story and it's about these characters' lives, you want to reach a satisfying conclusion and not just drag things out forever. This isn't really one of those setup shows where it can go anywhere. So far, we've been really on track. Season 2 is largely what we always planned, but you do make a lot of discoveries along the way and so it's always a little bit surprising.
This interview was done in March 2023, as Season 2 was premiering, and after it had already been confirmed for a Season 3. So, five seasons of drama and intensity? Sign me up. Here's hoping the show is renewed for another season after this next one.
Yellowjackets has undoubtedly made its name known for being one of the best Showtime shows, and I have a feeling it’ll only continue to improve as time goes on. Season 3 feels like years away – what are you excited about the most? I need to rewatch this show again and again.
