Heartstopper Season 3 is confirmed – and we have the deets on what you need to know.
Over the last couple of years, Netflix has been coming out with plenty of shows that have become massive hits. From the lovely Never Have I Ever which concluded after four seasons, to The Witcher, to the amazing One Piece that just came out at the end of August 2023. One of the new shows that has released is Heartstopper.
Based on the graphic novel and webcomic of the same name by Alice Oseman, the series has become prominent on Netflix, and now, we will be getting Season 3, after the eventful Season 2. But when is this series going to premiere? And what is it going to be about? How much more drama are we going to dive into with the worlds of Nick and Charlie? Here is what you need to know about Heartstopper Season 3.
What Is The Heartstopper Season 3 Premiere Date?
When updating this in April 2024, Heartstopper Season 3 will release in October 2024, according to a Twitter post from Netflix.
The last two seasons were only a year apart, and now we’re going to be getting the third very soon. We can add that to our 2024 TV schedule.
Most Of The Cast Is Expected To Come Back
While we don't have any confirmation on who is exactly going to return for Season 3 of Heartstopper, I think it's safe to say that we can expect most of the cast will return, precisely because there are plenty of stories from Heartstopper Season 2 that can continue in Season 3.
For a refresher, here’s who stars in Heartstopper:
There are plenty of talented cast members here – but at least two people will not return.
Sebastian Croft And Olivia Colman Are Not Returning
As mentioned above, two other cast members are not coming back for Season 3, and that is Sebastian Croft and Olivia Colman. Here are the reasons why:
Ben’s Story Is Complete
In an interview with Netflix Tudum in August 2023, Alice Oseman confirmed that Croft's character, Ben, would not be appearing in Season 3 of the show and that his appearance in Episode 7 would be his last, saying that the character's story is complete:
Ben's role in Heartstopper is now complete…We were in constant debate about finding the line between Ben being unrealistically demonic and too sympathetic. I feel we found that line, and I am so proud and honored that Sebastian has been a part of Heartstopper…I know that he'll go on to do incredible things, and I will be cheering from the sidelines all the way.
I'll miss him, but there are so many stories here to enjoy in the future.
Olivia Colman Could Not Fit The Show Into Her Schedule
I’m sure all of us have loved Olivia Colman as Nick’s mother, honestly a standout character. But unfortunately, Colman will not be able to return for the third season. It’s not for a lack of not wanting to come back – Colman told Forbes during an interview in March 2024 that she couldn’t fit it into her busy schedule, and she feels “awful” about it:
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.
This might mean that Colman could return if her schedule opens up for a possible fourth season, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Either way, she will be missed.
Darragh Hand Will Play Michael Holden
Some positive casting news was confirmed from Netflix on Twitter in November 2023, and that was that Darragh Hand will play Michael Holden in Season 3 of Heartstopper, the love interest of Tori in the show. The creator, Oseman, shared her excitement for the casting on Instagram in November 2023:
I for one can’t wait to see what they do with this character and the stories that are about to be told.
Few Details About The Plot Have Been Revealed, But We Know It'll Follow The Comics
Since details about the plot of Season 3 are still relatively unknown, we don't know much about the story. But if you've read the comics, you might know what happens next.
In an interview that Alice Oseman did with Tudum, they confirmed that fans who have read the comics will know what's going to occur but that the creator didn't want to "spoil it" for those who haven't gotten the chance to read yet:
People who have read the comics will know what will happen, but I don't want to spoil it for people who haven't been reading the comics. I think [Season 2's ending] just sets up that conversation for next season. We know that Charlie loves Nick, and I think we know that Nick loves Charlie as well. It's just about when and how they're going to say that to each other.
But The Creator Isn't Afraid To Make The Show "Its Own Thing" And Write New Stories
Even though Oseman said that fans would know what happens next, they aren't afraid to "make the show its own thing" as well.
Oseman, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly in August 2023, believes that the show has gotten to a point where they could deviate from the comics if they wanted to:
I'm always very committed to preserving what is in the comics and making sure all the big, exciting moments are in the show, but honestly, there is just so much extra space around that to do whatever we want. Now that we've got seasons 1 and 2, we've had so much development for the supporting cast: Tao, Elle, Tara, Isaac, even new characters like Imogen. There's so much new stuff that gives us so much to play with in season 3. I feel very comfortable letting the show be its own thing.
Plenty of shows have deviated from the source material, so this wouldn’t be that surprising. And since the creator of the series is also the creator of the show, fans will most likely get the same awesome content delivered.
Mental Health Is Also Going To Be A Big Part Of Season 3
One other plot detail that we're aware of is that mental health will play an essential role in Season 3 of Heartstopper.
In an interview with Metro in August 2023, Oseman also said that mental health was going to be a key part of Season 3:
In season two, we've started to explore mental health in a big way, and I think it's pretty obvious from the way we leave the season that is going to be a big element of season three. We're going to continue to look at that in a big way and explore how that affects Nick and Charlie's relationship and all of the other friendships in the show.
The creator also spoke out about the upcoming season in another Tudum article from March 2024, saying that Season 3 would continue to show the main character growing up and dealing with more “mental health issues” and how it would drive the story of Season 3.
There have been so many strides in this series for proper representation of topical issues within today's society, from the exploration of LGBTQ+ representation to so much more, so I'm not surprised that mental health will be a big topic for Season 3.
Joe Locke did say in an interview on The Today Show in February 2024 that Season 3 was going to be the darkest season yet and that the third installment would be a bit “raunchier:”
It’s coming out this year. Every season of our show, we grow up with the characters more, and this season is definitely a bit raunchier; it’s still ‘Heartstopper’, but we also deal with some darker issues.
I mean, I’m down for us growing up and changing. I have a feeling this third season is going to be great.
The First Episode Title Will Be Called "Love"
We know that the first episode title for Season 3 of Heartstopper has been revealed – and it will be called "Love," as featured in that Tudum article about what to expect in Season 3.
It's such a simple phrase, but it makes sense – the cliffhanger of Season 2 was that Charlie was holding his thumb over a message of him saying to Nick that he loved him. So, I feel that the first episode will most likely explore this love between them and what it means to say that word for Charlie.
Filming Has Wrapped
The last thing we know is that filming for Heartstopper Season 3 has come to an end. In October 2023, Netflix confirmed on Twitter that Season 3 had begun production:
🍂heartstopper 🍂season 3 🍂 is now 🍂 in production!!! pic.twitter.com/K9fPkbMuHTOctober 2, 2023
Then, two months later in December, it was announced on Netflix U.K.’s Instagram that filming had wrapped:
With filming all done and a release window picked, I’m only counting down the days until we get a trailer.
What are you excited about the most when it comes to Heartstopper Season 3? Are you prepared to cry as much as we did in Season 2? Now, all we have to do is be patient, but I'm not sure I can wait that long to find out the rest of Nick and Charlie's story – I think it's time to buy a graphic novel.
