Heartstopper's second season arrived on Netflix on August 3, 2023, bringing viewers a new batch of the beloved teen LGBTQ+ romance. After a season that included Parisian adventures and emotional challenges for the central relationships, the season 2 finale of Heartstopper left fans with a major cliffhanger heading into the highly anticipated third installment. Read on for a breakdown of everything we know about what could come next in Heartstopper season 3.
Has 'Heartstopper' been renewed for a third season?
In May 2022, Netflix announced that Heartstopper had been renewed for two more seasons, dropping the news just one month after season 1 arrived on the streamer.
At the time, several cast members shared their excitement on social media, with Yasmin Finney posting celebratory behind-the-scenes pics from filming on Instagram.
Can't wait for @AliceOseman and co. to do even more wonderful things with these characters! 💕 pic.twitter.com/taZeVZm9ouMay 20, 2022
When will 'Heartstopper' season 3 come out?
Netflix has revealed that Charlie, Nick, and the gang will be back this fall, with season 3 set to premiere on October 3, 2024. The news came via a sweet date-announcement teaser, which showed Charlie preparing to tell Nick those three words and eight letters that could change everything.
The clip also includes a nice little surprise for music fans, as it's soundtracked by a snippet of Billie Eilish’s unreleased song “Birds of a Feather." The new track appears on her upcoming album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, due out May 17.
Season 3 will hit our screens just over a year after season 2 did—similar to the quick release schedule between the first two installments, with season 1 premiering in April 2022 and season 2 coming less than a year and a half later in August 2023. The early renewal is partly to thank. When season 2 was released, director Euros Lyn told BBC News that the team was "due to start work on [season 3] soon," and then because the series is produced in the U.K., it was not affected by the 2023 writers and actors strikes.
Who will be in the cast of 'Heartstopper' season 3?
While an official cast list has not been released, most of the show's actors are expected to return, including Joe Locke (Charlie), Kit Connor (Nick), Yasmin Finney (Elle), William Gao (Tao), Corinna Brown (Tara), Kizzy Edgell (Darcy), Tobie Donovan (Isaac), Rhea Norwood (Imogen), Jenny Walser (Tori), and Cormac Hyde-Corrin (Harry).
Unfortunately, it has been confirmed that Olivia Colman will not return as Nick's mother Sarah in season 3. In an interview with Forbes, the Oscar and Emmy winner revealed that she couldn't appear due to scheduling conflicts, saying, “I couldn’t do number three. I couldn’t fit it in. I feel awful about that. I feel like I was part of one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever been part of.”
Another familiar face who will not return is Sebastian Croft, who plays Ben. During his final scene in episode 7, where Ben apologizes to Charlie for their past toxic relationship, the antagonist reveals that he's leaving Truham and Charlie's life for good.
There will be a handful of exciting, new additions to the cast. According to Variety, Jonathan Bailey, Hayley Atwell, and Eddie Marsan were announced as members of the season 3 ensemble in April 2024. Bailey will appear in a cameo, but he's said to play an "Instagram-famous classicist" whom Charlie has a crush on. Atwell, meanwhile, will play Nick's aunt who brings him along on a trip to Menorca and offers him advice, and Marsan will play Charlie's therapist Geoff.
What will 'Heartstopper' season 3 be about?
The season 2 finale sets up several threads for each of the series' core relationships. Tao and Elle are officially a couple, but the pair may have to try long-distance, as Elle wants to attend art school in London. While Tao was supportive when she told him about her decision, he previously dealt with insecurities, so distance may introduce new challenges.
A new romance may form between popular girl Imogen and Sahar, too. Imogen seemed to be forming feelings for her, which could form into something deeper in future episodes.
Meanwhile, Isaac began exploring his asexuality later in the season, which culminated in him picking up Angela Chen's 2020 book Ace during a mid-prom trip to the library, setting off further exploration in season 3.
Also after a tumultuous prom day, Darcy and Tara became closer after discussing the truth about Darcy's troubled relationship with her mom, and the two girlfriends said, "I love you," to each other.
Speaking of "I love you," that text cliffhanger between Charlie and Nick sets the tone for where their relationship will go in season 3. Now that Nick has come out as bisexual, and following his and Charlie's emotional conversation about Charlie's self-hate after being bullied, it's clear that Charlie feels safe and supported in their relationship. However, it will still take a while for him to open up about his feelings—hence his hesitation to hit send—so season 3 will likely explore the circumstances in which Charlie finally says, "I love you," to Nick.
Fans of TV book adaptations can usually turn to the source material if they're impatient for spoilers. Though Heartstopper season 2 makes big changes from Oseman's graphic novels, the show has remained mostly faithful to the overall arc of the books. However, even readers of the graphic novels aren't entirely sure where the series could go next. It's expected that season 3 will be based on the fourth and fifth volumes of the graphic novel series, although volume 5 wasn't published until December 2023. With that in mind, it could solely adapt book four, but there's certainly still time to read the new novel and learn more before the season 3 release.
