Taylor Sheridan’s Lioness Season 3 Update Sidesteps the Hard Truth About Nicole Kidman’s Series
After 11 months of limbo, Paramount+ finally renewed Lioness for Season 3—relief for fans, but a delay that hints at turbulence behind the scenes. Confirmed on October 1, Taylor Sheridan’s spec-ops thriller is back, even as the long wait raises more questions than answers.
Paramount+ finally pulled the trigger on Special Ops: Lioness Season 3 after an 11-month wait that felt less like anticipation and more like someone lost a file in a desk drawer. The renewal came down on October 1. Great news, obviously. But the timing? That part raises more questions than it answers.
Why the long silence?
Season 2 wrapped nearly a year ago, and by TV standards, going quiet this long is a red flag. The show earned its upgrade on paper: Season 2 jumped to a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score after a lukewarm 56% for Season 1 and briefly looked like the standout in Taylor Sheridan's ever-expanding lineup (Yellowstone, Tulsa King, Mayor of Kingstown, Landman). And yet Lioness — notably the only female-led series in the Sheridanverse — sat on ice while the others kept moving.
Behind the curtain, the holdup appears to be a mix of scheduling, contracts, and Sheridan doing ten things at once. Multiple reports have pointed to Nicole Kidman's deal-making as a sticking point (per Deadline). Given how tightly her character, Kaitlyn Meade, is tied to Zoe Saldana's Joe, nothing really moves until both are locked. Add Sheridan juggling Landman, The Madison, and more Yellowstone, and you can see how Lioness might have slipped down the priority list.
Nicole Kidman is back — and so are the headlines
Paramount+ confirmed Kidman will return as Kaitlyn Meade for Season 3. The announcement landed a day after reports surfaced that she and Keith Urban are separating, with some outlets saying she filed for divorce after 19 years. PEOPLE's reporting frames it as a long time coming — sources say they had been living separately for a while, and Kidman was fighting to save the marriage. They share two daughters.
On set, her co-star Zoe Saldana has been vocal about Kidman's focus and influence. Speaking to PEOPLE, Saldana said:
"The one thing that I admire so much about Nicole is that she is very passionate about what she does. She loves what she does. So there is a level of preparation that she brings to the table that repurposes you if you are working alongside her. And I get to work with someone that I have truly respected and admired for such a long time."
That kind of steeliness fits the show — messy on the inside, mission-ready on the outside.
So what is Season 3 about?
Paramount+ is keeping plot specifics locked up for now. No logline, no teases, nothing. The door is wide open, though. Season 2 ended with everyone breathing but nobody okay: Joe and Kaitlyn were still reeling, Josie (Genesis Rodriguez) left with a broken leg, and Tex (James Jordan) took a bullet. The fallout was the point. Expect the next chapter to lean into that emotional hangover more than a clean reset.
The timeline (brace yourself)
This is the part fans will hate: even with the renewal done, the runway is long. Based on where things stand, mid-to-late 2026 is the earliest realistic window, and some projections slide that to 2027. Translation: another long stretch of radio silence is likely.
- Renewal: Officially announced October 1
- Season 2 performance: 90% on Rotten Tomatoes (up from 56% for Season 1)
- Cast status: Nicole Kidman and Zoe Saldana returning; Kidman's personal life in the headlines amid reports of a divorce filing and a long separation (via PEOPLE)
- Creative load: Taylor Sheridan balancing Lioness with Landman, The Madison, and more Yellowstone
- Story setup: Emotional fallout from Season 2's finale; Josie's broken leg, Tex's gunshot wound, everyone scarred but alive
- Release outlook: No date yet; chatter points to 2026 at the earliest, 2027 not off the table
- Where to watch now: Special Ops: Lioness Seasons 1 and 2 are streaming on Paramount+
The read-between-the-lines version
Yes, the renewal is good news. But the delay undercuts the victory lap. It hints at behind-the-scenes friction, tight calendars, and a star deal that took time to close. The upside: when Sheridan does finally lock in, he tends to deliver, and Season 2 proved the show can course-correct and punch above its weight.
Can Lioness keep that momentum after a long gap? Or does the wait dull the edge? We will see. For now, the mission is greenlit. The clock, unfortunately, is still ticking.