Netflix's Heartstopper Season 2 managed to set up even more exciting storylines that Season 3 is expected to explore alongside its stellar cast.
Created by Alice Oseman and based on the hit graphic novel of the same name, Heartstopper is a coming-of-age series from Netflix that explores Joe Locke and Nick Nelson's love story as well as tackling issues that center around the LGBTQ+ community.
Heartstopper features a stellar cast led by Joe Locke and Kit Connor. The show made its debut on Netflix on April 22, 2022. In May 2022, it was renewed for Season 2, with it releasing on the streaming service on August 3.
Heartstopper Season 3 Release: When Will It Come Out?
Alongside Hearstopper's Season 2 renewal in May 2023, Netflix (via Deadline) confirmed that Season 3 was also in development then.
The show's return isn't surprising considering it currently has a 100% critic score rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Although Heartstopper Season 3 has no official release date yet, Netflix confirmed in October 2023 that filming has already begun.
Interestingly, What's On Netflix also shared the first look at Season 3 set photos, showing the cast filming scenes at a beach at Lyme Regis in Dorset, Wales.
Despite the ongoing Hollywood actors' strike, filming for Heartstopper Season 3 is not affected since it is under the umbrella of a UK production.
Filming for Season 2 took place from September to December 2022. It then premiered on Netflix on August 3, 2023.
Assuming that Season 3 will have the same production timeframe, then filming could wrap in December 2023. It could then potentially arrive on Netflix in Summer 2024.
Heartstopper Seasons 1 and 2 were released in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Hopefully, Season 3 will follow the same trend by making its debut in 2024.
Heartstopper Season 3 Cast: Who Will Return?
Most of Hearstopper's remarkable cast from Seasons 1 and 2 are expected to return in the third season.
After Season 2's heartfelt ending, Joe Locke and Kit Connor will come back as Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson, respectively, in Season 3.
Joining the lead pair are their best friends, namely William Gao's Tao Xu, Yasmine Finney's Elle Argent, Tobie Donovan's Isaac Henderson, Corinna Brown's Tara, and Kizzy Edgell's Darcy.
One notable character who is confirmed to not return in Season 3 is Sebastian Croft's Ben.
In Season 2 Episode 7, Ben apologizes to Charlie for his shortcomings before leaving Truham. However, Charlie made sure that Ben was aware of his toxic behavior.
In August 2023, Croft spoke with Tudum to explain his departure, noting that he and Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman "felt strongly" to not give Ben a redemption arc before the character's exit:
"Alice and I both felt strongly about him not having a redemption arc. It's a really beautiful way of having these two people who have been through a lot – and Ben's been horrible to Charlie – to have that conversation and explore it on a deeper level than I felt like we got to do in season one."
Here's a list of the expected cast of Heartstopper Season 3:
- Joe Locke - Charlie Spring
- Kit Connor - Nick Nelson
- William Gao - Tao Xu
- Tobie Donovan - Isaac Henderson
- Cormac Hyde-Corrin - Harry Greene
- Yasmine Finney - Elle Argent
- Rhea Norwood - Imogen Heaney
- Corinna Brown - Tara Jones
- Kizzy Edgell - Darcy Olsson
- Fisayo Akinade - Nathan Ajayi
What Will Happen in Heartstopper Season 3?
Heartstopper Season 2 ended with an emotional exchange between Charlie and Nick, further cementing their romantic feelings for each other. It ultimately concluded with a cliffhanger where Charlie hesitated to send a text saying, "I love you" to Nick.
Speaking with Tudum in August 2023, Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman confirmed that Season 2's cliffhanger was not in the comics:
“In the comics, there are a couple of moments where Charlie thinks he’s going to say ‘I love you’ and then decides not to, but the actual cliff-hanger at the end of Season 2 is not something that is in the comics.”
Season 3 is expected to closely follow the fourth volume of the Heartstopper graphic novel series by Oseman, in which Charlie and Nick head to college.
In an official synopsis for Heartstopper Volume 4, the book teased that the lead LGBTQ+ pair "will have to learn what love really means" as they embark on their journey to college:
"Charlie and Nick's relationship has been going really well, and Charlie thinks he's ready to say those three little words: I love you.
Nick feels the same way, but he's got a lot on his mind — especially the thought of coming out to his dad and the fact that Charlie might have an eating disorder.
As a new school year begins, Charlie and Nick will have to learn what love really means."
Alongside the challenges of professing their love to one another, entering college presents many exciting and thrilling challenges for all the characters.
In September 2023, Netflix confirmed that the title of Season 3's first episode will be "Love," hinting that the installment could revolve around the failed I love yous of the pair.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly in August 2023, Oseman pointed out that there are moments in Season 3 that could deviate from the comics, saying that "there is just so much extra space around" in terms of storytelling wiggle room:
"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."
In an interview with Hello magazine in August 2023, Joe Locke, who plays Charlie in the show, said that he wants to see more scenes of his character with his art teacher and mentor, Mr. Ajayi:
"I want to see some Charlie and Mr. Ajayi scenes. That was one thing I wished was in season two that we just didn't have time for."
That said, fans who have been closely following the comics can expect surprises in Season 3 in terms of its story.
The first two seasons of Heartstopper are available on Netflix.
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