What Are the Chances Bridgerton Season 3 Won't Be Released in 2023 After All?
There's still hope.
With each passing day, the wait for the new chapter of Bridgerton is becoming increasingly intense and emotionally charged for the vast Bridgerton fan base.
Whether due to the Hollywood strikes or some other reason, Netflix and Shondaland are torturing fans by not making any Season 3 announcements whatsoever. Their most recent update was in June when four (just four) first-look stills (stills, Carl!) were unveiled at the Tudum event.
Around the same period, Netflix Portugal declared December 14 as the release date for Season 3, posting the stills on their social media. However, their posts were soon edited, the date got removed, and no official confirmation was provided. Fans were left speculating that mid-December was the most likely premiere time frame.
It was initially believed that Netflix Portugal had prematurely announced the release. However, as time goes by, this theory appears less and less likely.
The Time of the Official Announcement
Assuming that Season 3 will indeed premiere in mid-December, we can estimate when the announcement should be made.
Netflix typically discloses the release dates of its most popular shows 60 to 90 days in advance. For instance, Bridgerton Season 2 was announced three months before its debut on the platform. Similarly, the news about Queen Charlotte was revealed 79 days before its release.
That suggests that Season 3 could get an official release date anytime between September 14 and mid-October. Given that the marketing team seems to favor dates 14 and 25 for the Bridgerton franchise, possible release announcement dates could be September 14, 25, or October 14.
However, two of these deadlines have already passed. Is it time to give in to panic?
Admittedly, this does appear troubling. However, there's still a slight possibility that the Hollywood strikes may have prompted Netflix to hold back its most popular shows and not rush to announce them.
For instance, Virgin River Season 5, which debuted on the platform on September 7 amid the strikes, was announced only 45 days prior, on July 25. If Bridgerton follows this trend, the announcement could be made anytime between now and the end of October (perhaps October 25?).
Another potential reason for the delay could be that the studio is waiting for the conclusion of the SAG-AFTRA strike so that the Season 3 cast can adequately promote their storylines, which is a comforting thought.
All in all, while the likelihood of Bridgerton returning with a new chapter in 2023 is declining with each passing day, we should probably still keep abreast of the show's social media. Who knows, a Christmas miracle might just happen.