‘Succession’ season 3: everything we know so far

The best show on TV is back for a third series

If you’re not caught up on the Succession finale yet, then don’t worry. It’s very quietly become the best show on TV – so you’re not the only tellyhead to have missed out. Set in big city America, the HBO drama follows billionaire Logan Roy as he pits his children against one another with a view to naming the successor to his business empire.

We’ve been glued to the gripping family saga for two whole series now, from season one’s slow-burning ancestral battles to the latest legal catastrophe in last week’s season two finale. The only thing more exciting than the most recent storyline is what could happen in season three. Here’s everything we know about the upcoming episodes so far.

When will Succession season 3 be released?

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Succession season three is set to premiere in October 2021, the show’s official Twitter account confirming the news with a new picture of Brian Cox’s Logan Roy.

HBO confirmed that the new season would be launching on October 17 in the US at 9pm ET/PT.

Sky Atlantic will be showing episodes in the UK on the following day, with a premiere date set for October 18.

Commissioning network HBO gave season three the green light in August 2019, before season two had even finished airing. It was initially set to return sometime in 2020, but the show was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Succession finale
Partners in crime: could Gerri (J. Smith-Cameron) and Roman (Kieran Culkin) team up in the future? Credit: HBO

What’s going to happen in Succession season 3?

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The season two finale was perhaps the most thrilling hour of television in 2019, including the long-awaited final episode of Game Of Thrones. Backed by loyal Cousin Greg, heir apparent Kendall Roy ripped up his prepared statement and unmasked a decades-long cover-up live on national television. His father’s legacy was left in tatters.

So what now? Should he prepare to feel Logan’s wrath – or is this the proof Chairman Roy needs to finally name his successor? You’ll have to wait and see.

Other plot lines to be tied up include Roman’s potential partnership with Gerri, Shiv and Tom’s failing marriage and Connor’s presumed-dead-on-arrival presidential campaign. In summary, there’s a great deal for the scriptwriters of Succession season three to think about…

How many seasons of Succession will there be?

At the moment, we can only say with certainty that there will be three full-length seasons of Succession. However, bar a total drop off in viewer ratings, it’s safe to assume we’ll be here for at least a few more outings with the Roys.

Series writer and executive producer Georgia Pritchett has suggested that Succession will come to an end after season four or five, telling The Times: “I think the maximum would be five seasons, but possibly more like four.”

Pritchett added that showrunner Jesse Armstrong is “saying only one more”, though explained a fifth season could come about as a creator reversing the decision to do more “happens every time”. She also suggested that they have “a good end in sight” for the series.

Which cast members will return in Succession season 3?

Like any drama, Succession lives and dies on its core characters. The show stars Brian Cox as Logan Roy, with Jeremy Strong, Hiam Abbass, Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin, Alan Ruck, Nicholas Braun, Matthew Macfadyen and J. Smith-Cameron rounding out the primary cast.

On January 14, 2021, it was confirmed that Sanaa Lathan, Linda Emond and Jihae Join had joined the cast for the new season.

Lathan, known for starring in films such as Brown Sugar, Now You See Me 2 and Alien Vs. Predator, will play Lisa Arthur, a high profile well-connected New York lawyer.

Three-time Tony nominee Emond, whose recent television work includes a series regular role on Lodge 49 and recurring roles on Madam Secretary, Law and Order: SVU and The Good Wife, will take on the role of Michelle-Anne Vanderhoven, a senior White House aide.

Jihae, who recently appeared in Peter Jackson’s Mortal Engines, will star as Berry Schneider, a leading Public Relations consultant.

Also added to the cast are Alexander Skarsgård, who will play a tech founder and CEO named Lukas Matsson, and Adrien Brody as Josh Aaronson, “a billionaire activist investor who becomes pivotal in the battle for the ownership of Waystar.”

What are the cast getting paid?

The cast has apparently received massive pay rises in order to return for season 3.

The Hollywood Reporter has reported that ahead of the third season, all cast members renegotiated their fees separately.

The actors – including Matthew Macfadyen, Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin, Alan Ruck, and Nicholas Braun – also landed pay rises from their initial contracts which earned them under $100,000 (£80,900) an episode.

Now they are set to get somewhere around the $300,000-$350,000 (£242,000-283,000) mark per episode.

Is there a trailer yet?

Yes, the show dropped the first teaser in July 2021, teasing war between the Roys after the season two cliffhanger.

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