Everything we know about Yellowjackets season 3

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Yellowjackets season 3 is one step closer to returning to our screens, despite delays due to last year's writers' strike. Filming is now well underway, meaning we're one step closer to returning to the wilderness and it's only a matter of time before one of the best TV shows is back on our TVs.

While there aren't any official plot details out there at the moment, a new cast member has been announced, and showrunner Ashley Lyle has teased that we can expect a return to season 1 "in terms of the vibe." There are plenty of season 2 plot threads that we're hoping to see tied up in the new season, too, but more on that later... Plus, there's still a bonus episode coming our way at some point, although that's also still shrouded in mystery.

We dive into all that and more in our complete guide to Yellowjackets season 3, but be warned – there are major Yellowjackets season 2 spoilers ahead, so proceed with caution if you're not up to date with the series yet.

Yellowjackets season 3 release date speculation

Showtime has revealed (via Deadline) that it's eyeing a 2025 release date for Yellowjackets season 3.

Season 3 was commissioned in December 2022, but it has been subject to major delays due to last year's writers' and actors' strikes. The writers' room finally reopened in September 2023, and filming kicked off in May 2024 in Canada.

The official Yellowjackets social media accounts confirmed this with a post reading: "We know you're starving..." alongside some photos of the set. Attached was also a pic of the front page of episode 1's script, which will be directed by showrunner Bart Nickerson and was written by showrunner Ashley Lyle, producer Jonathan Lisco, and Nickerson.

Yellowjackets season 3 cast

There's at least one new face making their Yellowjackets debut in season 3: Community and The Bear star Joel McHale has joined the series in a guest role. Any further details about his character are still being kept firmly under wraps, however.

We also know who definitely won't be making a return for season 3 – in the present-day timeline, Juliette Lewis and Alex Wyndham won't be returning as the adult version of Nat and police officer Kevyn Tan, as they both died in the season 2 finale. It's unclear if Simone Kessell, who plays adult Lottie, will be back, as the finale saw her character committed to a psychiatric institution.

Meanwhile, in the '90s timeline, there were two characters who didn't make it to the end of the season, Javi and Crystal. Their actors, Luciano Leroux and Nuha Jes Izman, therefore won't be returning for season 3 – unless, of course, the other surviving characters experience any flashbacks or hallucinations.

Speaking of surviving characters, let's reel off who we can expect to return for season 3. In the present day, that's Melanie Lynskey as Shauna, Tawny Cypress as Taissa, Christina Ricci as Misty, and Lauren Ambrose as Van, along with Warren Kole as Shauna's husband Jeff and Sarah Desjardins as their daughter Callie. Elijah Wood's character, musical theater fan and murderous billionaire Walter, may also return.

Back in the wilderness, there's Sophie Nélisse as teen Shauna, Jasmin Savoy Brown as teen Taissa, Samantha Hanratty as teen Misty, and Liv Hewson as teen Van, along with Sophie Thatcher as teen Nat. There's also Kevin Alves as Travis and Steven Kreuger as Ben. None of these returns have been confirmed yet, but it seems pretty likely. Stay tuned as more news heads our way!

Yellowjackets season 3 plot

There aren't any official plot details about Yellowjackets season 3 just yet, but co-creator Ashley Lyle has hinted at what we might be able to expect. "I will say we see season 3 as a little bit of a return to season 1 in terms of the vibe. All I will say is that the girls have been out there [in the wilderness] for a while, and they’re thriving," Lyle told The Wrap.

The end of season 2 also left us with plenty of unanswered questions that give us some idea of where things may go. Let's start with the present-day timeline. Taissa's sleepwalking still needs to be addressed – namely, what causes it and, more crucially, what exactly she does when she's unconscious – as well as what happened to Simone, who was still in the hospital post-car accident when we last saw her in season 2 and their son Sammy (who we assume someone is looking after while his mother reunites with her high school ex…).

Plus, there's her relationship with Van and where that will head in the wake of season 2, as well as the events of the past season on her career – she did disappear for a week after just being elected as a state senator, after all. Speaking of Van, it seems like she may not have long to live after she told Taissa that she has terminal cancer. Could a deal with the wilderness possibly prolong – or save – her life?

Misty has her own demons to deal with in the aftermath of Nat's death, and there's also the issue of Walter. Can he be trusted? And what is his game plan with Misty? Hopefully, we will find out in season 3. As for Lottie, she was carted away in an ambulance at the end of season 2 for another stint of psychiatric care, but it remains to be seen whether we'll see her character in the hospital in season 3 or whether that's the last we'll see of present-day Lottie for a while.

As for the '90s timeline, we're still wondering who Javi's 'friend' is – could they become a more prominent figure in season 3, especially now that the girls are without shelter after their cabin burnt down? And, on a similar note, will the girls find out that it was Ben who set fire to their home? There's also the issue of where they'll go to survive the rest of the winter.

We're also curious to see the evolution of their hunting ritual – what we saw in season 2 when the girls chased Nat through the woods is not quite what we see in the opening scene of the pilot. The girls in that scene are decked out in masks and animal furs, and they have a pit that the girl they're pursuing falls into.

While we wait for Yellowjackets to return, fill out your watch list with our guide to the best new TV shows coming our way in 2024 and beyond.