Severance season 3 is already one of the most eagerly anticipated TV series on the planet – even though it’s release date is yet to be announced. Apple TV+’s quirky office drama quickly became one of the most talked about shows around (along with the streamer’s similarly brilliant Silo) when it launched in 2022. The just-ended second season added extra layers to its many mysteries, and rarely has the term “water cooler TV” felt quite so apt.

For the uninitiated, it’s the story of a group of office workers who – thanks to a special chip embedded in their brains – have no memory of the outside world. Meanwhile, beyond the walls of the bizarre Lumon Industries, they have no recollection of what they’ve done at work. But, as intriguing as that premise sounds, it doesn’t do justice to the brilliant storytelling that unfolds both inside and outside the office.

So, with Severance season 3 now confirmed, we run down who’s likely to be in the cast and speculate on a potential release date. And if you’re still scratching your head about season 2 finale “Cold Harbor” and what it all means, check out our in-depth guide to Severance season 3’s most important burning questions.

Severance season 3: will we be heading back to Lumon Industries?

Yes! Within hours of season 2 finale “Cold Harbor” debuting on Apple TV+ in March 2025, executive producer (and director of multiple episodes) Ben Stiller took to X (formerly known as Twitter), to ask:

“So some fans are asking for Season 3 of Severance.

“What do you say, @tim_cook”?

“Season 3 of Severance is available upon request,” replied Tim Cook – who, conveniently, just happens to be the CEO of Apple.

This is not a surprise, considering that Severance – with the possible exception of football comedy Ted Lasso – is Apple TV+’s most talked-about show. Even so, it’s a relief for fans that the stories of Mark S, Helly R, Dylan G, Irving B and their respective Outies won‘t be trapped in an unresolved cliffhanger for televisual eternity.

Severance season 3 release date: when will we see it?

That’s the big question, as Apple TV+ is yet to confirm a Severance season 3 release date. But while fans had to wait nearly three years between seasons 1 and 2, there are reasons to be optimistic we’ll see Severance season 3 before 2028.

Although the complexity of the show means that it’s incredibly difficult to script – creator Dan Erickson has said “the writing is the most painstaking part of the process” – one of the main reasons behind the long wait f Hollywood writer and actor strikes in 2023, which delayed production for months.

That said, the turnaround on streaming shows tends to be around two years, so we’d predict Lumon will reopen for business in early 2027.

Severance season 3 cast: who’s returning to work?

We can’t see any reason why the Severance season 3 cast shouldn’t be stay relatively unchanged. That means the following line-up:

• Adam Scott as Mark Scout/Mark S
• Britt Lower as Helena Eagan/Helly R
• Zach Cherry as Dylan George/Dylan G
• Tramell Tillman as Seth Milchick
• Dichen Lachman as Gemma Scout/Ms Casey
• Patricia Arquette as Harmony Cobel
• Jen Tullock as Devon Scout-Hale
• Michael Chernus as Ricken Hale
• Sydney Cole Alexander as Natalie Kalen
• Merritt Wever as Gretchen George
• Robby Benson as Dr Mauer
• Sandra Bernhard as Cecily
• Gwendoline Christie as Lorne
• Michael Sibery as Jame Eagan

It also seems likely we‘ll meet some new characters in the Severance season 3 cast.

Not everyone’s return is assured, however…

SEASON 2 SPOILERS AHEAD

Ólafur Darri Ólafsson played sinister Lumon suit Mr Drummond, who was accidentally killed by Mark Scout/Mark S in the season 2 finale. This may make a comeback difficult – though there’s no reason he couldn’t return in some kind of flashback. After all, he’s clearly a big deal in the Lumon chain of command.

Meanwhile, John Turturro’s Irving Bailiff was last seen taking a train away from Kier, PE, to escape the wrath of Lumon, while Burt Goodman (Christopher Walken) was expecting to face his former employers’ wrath for helping his Innie’s former lover to get out of town. The future isn’t looking bright for either but we’d be surprised if we’ve seen the last of them.

And although Wintertide Fellowship intern Eustice “Ms” Huang (played by Sarah Bock) was reassigned to the Eagan Empathy Centre in Svalbard at the end of season 2, it feels like she still has a role to play on the Severed Floor.

Severance season 3 plot: what’s the series about?

It’s an extremely complex show, and we’d need more than a few paragraphs to summarise everything that’s happened so far – that’s why we’ve got a separate article about the numerous burning questions we have heading into Severance season 3.

The short version? Recently bereaved Mark Scout undergoes Lumon Industries’ radical severance procedure to keep his home and office selves entirely separate – his “Outie” and “Innie” (known as Mark S) share no memories, creating the ultimate work/life balance.

But Mark S and his colleagues in the Macrodata Refinement (MDR) department – Helly R, Dylan G and Irving B – become disillusioned with an existence that redefines 9-to-5. As they dig further into Lumon’s seriously weird practices – seriously, you’ve never heard company jargon like this – they learn more about their counterparts in the outside world, and why the seemingly mundane task of sorting through numbers may be connected with Mark’s late wife. Some of them even find time for some office romance.

Is Severance worth watching?

It’s an emphatic yes on this one. The first two seasons have been adored by critics and are currently rated 96% fresh on aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes. Season 1 also picked up numerous nominations at the Emmy and Golden Globe awards.

So, while you have to concentrate to keep track of what’s going on – and the show can, at times, feel like it’s being odd for the sake of it – it’s undoubtedly worth the effort. You also get a surprise cameo from Keanu Reeves.

How many Severance episodes are there and where can I see them?

There are 19 Severance episodes to date, and they’re all available to stream on Apple TV+.

All episodes of Severance seasons 1 and 2 are now available on Apple TV+.