Heartstopper was a smash hit when it premiered on Netflix in 2022, thanks to how it handles queer topics.
Now moving to its third season, the show has not lost its original appeal and is one of the most anticipated shows this year.
Updates about the third season have been trickling in, but now there’s a complete picture of what to expect and when to expect it.
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Production Timeline
Filming for the third season began on October 2 last year, and after ten weeks of hard work, production wrapped on December 15. Heartstopper films for a short period because it features a short runtime per episode and eight episodes per season.
‘Heartstopper’ Season 3 Will Feature New Faces
As the show explores more topics, the characters interact with new people who enrich their world. The show added several new cast members for Season 3.
Darragh Hand was the first cast member to join the show as Michael Holden. Series writer and creator Alice Oseman announced the news on their Instagram page, expressing excitement at the new addition. It was important to get this character right, as he’s a huge part of the Heartstopper universe.
Hayley Atwell will appear in the show as Nick’s aunt, who offers great advice to the young man when they spend a vacation together.
Eddie Marsan will offer some star power boost when he plays Charlie’s therapist, Geoff. He helps Charlie navigate his personal life and his love life with Nick as their relationship soars to new heights.
The final addition was Mr Bridgerton himself, Jonathan Bailey. He will appear as Jack Maddox, Charlie’s Instagram-famous crush. Bailey’s casting had been kept under wraps, but rumors started circulating online before Netflix confirmed the casting.
Bailey revealed that he had strongly advocated for himself to be cast in the show, saying,
“I had a mutual friend who knows [executive producer Patrick Walters], and I just said, ‘If there’s anything I could do to help and be a part of that story. It’s not just for our community. It’s for every person who is a member of a family who has a member of the LGBT+ community. It helps all of us.”
Jonathan Bailey – Variety
Oseman welcomed these new members to the cast, saying,
“I am incredibly excited to be welcoming three new cast members to the Heartstopper family. It was an absolute joy to see Hayley, Eddie and Jonathan’s talent alongside our existing cast, and I can’t wait for the Heartstopper fans to meet these new characters.”
Alice Oseman
Conversely, Olivia Colman revealed that she won’t appear in the third season. She played Nick’s mum for two seasons but scheduling problems couldn’t allow her to appear in the third. She talked about that, 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.”
Olivia Colman – Forbes
Additionally, Sebastian Croft won’t appear in Season 3 as his character’s journey reached a natural conclusion on the show.
Season 3’s Plot
Netflix has kept the official plot a secret, but given that the series is adapted from Oseman’s graphic novels, there is a rough idea of what it might entail.
Series star Joe Locke also opened up about what the season will tackle and teased more mature themes as the youngsters grow older. He revealed that it will be Charlie-centric as the show pivots to focus on his struggles with an eating disorder that manifested in the second season.
Locke appeared on Jesse Tyler Ferguson‘s podcast Dinner’s on Me, where he discussed some of the themes the show will explore. He teased that it would be darker as it delves into something not talked about much and shows the depths of Charlie’s eating disorder.
It will also focus on the next stage of Charlie and Nick’s (Kit Connor) relationship. For the past two seasons, their romance has been pretty chaste; kissing and holding hands is enough for them.
But as they grow together and become more comfortable, more desires arise, and they realize how horny they are for each other.
Locke talked about that saying,
“In the season that isn’t out yet, we delve into that… Charlie’s eating disorder sort of much more. It’s probably the main focus of the season. And our writer Alice is… I never met anyone who can write such quite serious topics with such heart and such love.
Joe Locke – Dinner’s on Me
“It’s definitely way darker than other seasons of Heartstopper have been, whilst also maintaining that Heartstopper feel. So the first half of the season, I’d say, is darker, the second half of the season is horny. Yeah, that’s … that’s how we’ve… that’s how we on set … that’s how we’d block them out. It was a fun season to film.”
He reiterated the same while promoting the new Marvel Agatha show in which he stars.
When Will ‘Heartstopper’ Season 3 Premiere?
In a video featuring the cast, Netflix teased the premiere month as they discussed the upcoming season. It was revealed that the season will stream in October.
Several weeks later, the streamer revealed that all episodes will stream on October 3. Therefore, Heartstopper 3 stops hearts on October 3. (Get it? -er? 3?)
The announcement was accompanied by a sneak peek of Nick and Charlie as Nick picks Charlie up to go somewhere.
Charlie still struggles to admit that he’s in love with Nick, and matters become complex when he lays eyes on Nick. Oseman had talked about this before, saying:
“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.”
Alice Oseman
He begins to notice Nick’s buff body and how his vest hugs his torso. Oh?
‘Heartstopper’ Season 3 Episodes Names
Oseman revealed the name of the first episode of the season. It echoes an arc the show will explore is aptly titled:
- 3×01: Love
The rest of the episodes are titled
- 3×02: Home
- 3×03: Talk
- 3×04: Journey
- 3×05: Winter
- 3×06: Body
- 3×07: Together
- 3×08: Apart
In the meantime, watch all seasons of Heartstopper on Netflix.