On October 1, 2025, Paramount+ officially renewed Taylor Sheridan‘s covert military series Lioness for a third season. While the renewal was expected, it came nearly a year after the release of Season 2 of the popular series, led by recent Oscar-winner Zoe Saldaña. Given the 11-month gap before the announcement and the lengthy production required for such an expensive, action-driven show, it’s hard to say exactly when Lioness will return. For Sheridan fans eagerly anticipating Lioness‘ next chapter, the renewal news isn’t so positive.
Of course, such a production delay is the price of doing business with Sheridan, who continues to create and run several hit shows for the streaming service. With the realistic prospect of Lioness returning as late as 2027, the show risks losing its invested fanbase. Given all the other series Sheridan is working on for Paramount, Lioness could easily get lost in the shuffle and be forgotten about. Even when it does return, how much interest will viewers have after waiting up to three years for Season 3?
The Long Wait for ‘Lioness’ Season 3
The time between Lioness Seasons 1 and 2 was roughly 15 months. The first season premiered in July 2023, and Season 2 debuted in October 2024. Based on the past production schedule, Forbes forecasts that Lioness Season 3 may not return until February–May 2027, leaving fans in the lurch for almost three years. It’s not exactly the type of renewal news fans of the show had hoped for or anticipated.
Although no explanation has been given for such a protracted renewal, it may correlate with the show’s reception. Lioness Season 1 holds a 56% Rotten Tomatoes score and an equivalent 56 Metascore. However, Season 2 made a considerable leap, boasting a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score and 76 Metascore. Although Season 2’s reception involved fewer critics, the series shows a marked improvement over Season 1.
If it took roughly 15 months to produce Season 2 and elevate the series in the process, it stands to reason that more time will be invested to ensure that Season 3 bests Season 2. Unfortunately, there’s no telling when filming will begin on Lioness Season 3, leaving the fate of its return uncertain.
To that end, it’s also worth looking at Sheridan’s current TV slate. Other Sheridan shows returning in 2025 include Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King, and Landman. In 2026, Sheridan and Paramount+ will roll out the Yellowstone spin-offs, The Madison, which is currently filming, and Y: Marshals. Sheridan also has several undated projects in the works, including The Dutton Ranch, Olympus, F.A.S.T., 1944, and 6666. For Lioness fans, the question is simple: when will there be time to make Season 3?
What Can Fans Expect From ‘Lioness’ Season 3?
Although the Lioness Season 3 renewal is bittersweet, the show itself is as inspiring as it is riveting. Loosely based on a real-life US Military program conducted in Iraq in 2003, Lioness follows “Team Lioness,” undercover female CIA Agents and soldiers who perform special ops and covert missions behind enemy lines. Zoe Saldaña stars as Joe, the leader of the program, who enlists former Marine Cruz Manuelos (Laysla De Oliveira) to prevent the war on terror from escalating.
When Joe isn’t leading the gallant mission abroad, she must deal with her disapproving family at home. Meanwhile, Joe’s superiors, Kaitlyn Meade (Nicole Kidman) and Donald Westfield (Michael Kelly), operate in the shadows with their own hidden agendas and ulterior motives that are sure to develop further in Season 3.
In Season 2, Cruz’s undercover mission was dramatically complicated by the arrival of Captain Josephina Carillo (Genesis Rodriguez), a US Army pilot whose uncle leads a violent drug cartel. When Carillo is recruited to go undercover as a Lioness and take down her uncle, her romance with Cruz blurs her focus.
As for Season 3, fans can expect the bond between Cruz and Carillo to evolve and expand. Meanwhile, following the messy Operation Skyhawk, in which a helicopter was downed in an attempt to intercept Chinese scientists from aiding Iran’s nuclear program, Joe is expected to take a more supportive role. As Cruz takes a larger leadership role within the Lioness program, there’s plenty left at stake when Lioness eventually returns to Paramount+ for Season 3. The first two seasons of Lioness are streaming now on Paramount+.
- Release Date
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July 23, 2023
- Directors
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Anthony Byrne, Paul Cameron