YOU season three: Everything we know about new series of Penn Badgley’s Netflix thriller

Fans are desperate for news of when the hit show will return for a third series

Fans are still clamouring for news as to when they can expect the return of Netflix’s hit series, You.

The stalker thriller starring Penn Badgley as serial killer Joe Goldberg has proved to be one of the streaming giant’s most popular shows.

After a dramatic conclusion to the events of season two, the cast and crew are reportedly hard at work producing a third series that’s just as good.

Here’s what we know so far (spoiler warning for seasons one and two):

The cast

Badgley will once again return to his starring role as serial killer Joe, joined by season two co-star Victoria Pedretti, who plays Love Quinn.

Saffron Burrows has been promoted to series regular, having previously had a supporting role as Love’s mother Dottie in season two.

Travis Van Winkle (The Last Ship) is set to star as a self-help guru in the third season, while Shalita Grant (Search Party) plays a social-media obsessed blogger.

Michaela McManus, who was briefly seen in the final episode of series two, will return as Joe’s new neighbour, Natalie.

Tati Gabrielle, a favourite from another Netflix show, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, will play librarian Marienne.

Meanwhile, it was announced in January this year that Crazy Ex-Girlfriend star Scott Michael Foster will play a local news reporter running from his own set of demons.

The plot

We can pretty much guarantee that season three of You will pick up where the previous series left off. Joe is a father-to-be, as his girlfriend and fellow murdering sociopath Love is pregnant.

While Joe sounded keen to move on from his past, it’s unlikely he’ll be able to resist his killer instincts and find someone new to obsess over.

There is also likely to be tension between the couple and Love’s mother, Dottie, in the aftermath of the death of her beloved son (Love’s troubled twin brother Forty).

Showrunner Patrick Gamble told Entertainment Weekly in a recent interview: “The stakes are pretty high. I have so many questions about Love’s mother who’s incredibly in the picture at the end of the season, like how much she really knows about her children.

“We wrote [the finale] hoping that we will get the opportunity to tell more stories because we’re really excited with the seeds planted at the end of season two.”

Given seasons one and two were based on the novels by Caroline Kepnes, and knowing her third book is due for release in April, it’s also possible the showrunners will try to follow some of the new plot.

According to the book’s description, Joe is now ready to start a family “even if it kills him”, and is “done with Love”.

He flees LA for a “cosy island in the Pacific Northwest”, where he meets librarian Mary Kay DiMarco.

“Joe won’t meddle, he will not obsess,” the synopsis says. “He’ll win her the old-fashioned way… by providing a shoulder to cry on, a helping hand. Over time they’ll both heal their wounds and begin their happily ever after in this sleepy town.”

Knowing the twists and turns that take place in the show, though, it’s highly unlikely we really will see Joe get a “happily ever after”. Especially if Love has anything to do with it.

Release date

While there have been several false reports about a release date announcement, showrunners are keeping quiet (so far) about when we can expect the third season to land on Netflix.

Production was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, but Netflix confirmed things were up and running again in November.

Hopefully that means we can expect season three to arrive later this year.

Seasons one and two of You are available now on Netflix.