After 16 Years, Orphan 3 Just Got Its Biggest Filming Update Yet
Sixteen years after the original shocker, cameras are rolling in Hungary on Orphan 3, with William Brent Bell back in the director’s chair and Isabelle Fuhrman returning as Esther.
Esther is back. Sixteen years after the original Orphan, cameras are rolling on a third movie, and yes, Isabelle Fuhrman is once again playing the most unsettling kid-that-isnt-a-kid in horror.
So yes, Orphan 3 is filming
Production is officially underway in Budapest, Hungary. The confirmation came the modern way: a clapperboard on Instagram. One fun nerdy detail from that slate — the working title is 'Orphans.' Make of that what you will.
Who is doing what
- Director: William Brent Bell returns after directing the 2022 prequel Orphan: First Kill.
- Star: Isabelle Fuhrman is back as Esther.
- Director of Photography: Maxime Alexander.
- Screenwriter: David Coggeshall.
- Executive Producer: David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick.
- Distributor: Lionsgate is handling international distribution.
What this one is about
The logline keeps it vague: a con artist worms her way into a wealthy European household, only for the scheme to fall apart when someone threatens to out her. If you know this franchise, that sure sounds like Esther doing her classic routine — the synopsis just stops short of saying it out loud.
How we got here
Dark Castle Entertainment confirmed the third film was in development back in November 2024 — roughly a year before production kicked off. At the time, producer Norman Golightly set the tone with this:
'Dark Castle is excited to announce another terrifying chapter in the Orphan saga. With the past success of the first two movies and another thrilling storyline, we are confident that Orphan 3 will be a must-see for both longtime fans, and new fans alike.'
Fuhrman has said she was initially unsure about doing another sequel but changed her mind once she read the new script. Translation: expect the movie to have a proper hook, not just a retread.
When you can actually see it
The plan is a theatrical release in late 2026. No specific date yet.
Quick refresher on the timeline: Orphan hit in 2009, the prequel Orphan: First Kill landed in 2022, and now we have a third movie shooting in Hungary in 2025 under the title 'Orphans.' If the last two are any indication, prepare for twists, scams, and the kind of performance from Fuhrman that makes you double-check the height chart.