Severance’s season 2 finale took viewers by surprise when it was released earlier this year, prompting numerous questions regarding what lies ahead for Mark S. and his team in season 3. Here’s all we know thus far about Severance season 3 and its anticipated premiere on Apple TV.
## Severance Season 3 Officially Approved by Apple
Severance is the most successful series Apple TV has ever produced—even outpacing Ted Lasso in its popularity. Thus, it comes as no shock that Apple has officially confirmed another season. The greenlight for Severance season 3 was announced immediately following the release of the season 2 finale. Thankfully, the creative team didn’t wait for Apple’s formal go-ahead before commencing work on the new season, with writing starting even prior to the season 3 confirmation.
## Writers Currently Developing Severance Season 3, Featuring a Significant New Addition
In February, during a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Ben Stiller disclosed that Severance season 3 was “in progress” and that a writers’ room was actively engaged in developing the show in LA. Regarding the show’s writers, last spring Puck reported a major overhaul within Severance’s creative team. Amid reported disagreements between creator Dan Erickson and writer-producer Mark Friedman during the first two seasons, Ben Stiller brought on a significant new hire. Matt Belloni wrote at Puck:
> Stiller interviewed multiple writer-producers to produce a third season before the potential WGA strike and ultimately hired Beau Willimon, the creator of House of Cards, who most recently worked on Disney+’s excellent Andor… Willimon secured a lucrative deal for Season 3, but quickly recognized that assistance was needed for Season 2, as episode costs surged to the $20 million range. So for the past few months, Willimon has contributed to shaping the latter half of Season 2 and a framework for Season 3, causing significant delays in the process.
It appears that although Willimon made substantial contributions to season 2, we will see more of his impact in the upcoming season 3.
## Ben Stiller Will Not Be Directing This Time Around
Ben Stiller is a pivotal creative influence behind Severance, and that will persist into season 3. However, a crucial role he has traditionally played is changing. In an interview with The Los Angeles Times, Stiller indicated that he won’t be directing any episodes for Severance season 3. The reason? A film project will demand too much of his time. Stiller directed 11 episodes across the first two seasons of Severance—over half of the total episode count. Thus, his absence from the director’s position could significantly affect the show.
## Filming Anticipated to Commence in Spring 2026
In a recent interview, Patricia Arquette disclosed the projected start date for filming Severance season 3. According to Arquette, production for season 3 is set to begin in spring 2026. To provide some context, Severance season 2 started production in October 2022 yet didn’t debut on Apple TV until January 2025. However, that prolonged delay primarily stemmed from significant Hollywood strikes that unexpectedly interrupted production after 7 of 10 episodes had been completed.
## When to Anticipate Season 3 on Apple TV
Those who have followed Severance since its inaugural season are aware of the lengthy wait between seasons. Due to production complications, rewrites, and Hollywood strikes, nearly three years elapsed between Severance’s first and second seasons. Ben Stiller has stated that for season 3 “he hopes to avoid making audiences wait three years this time.” If the anticipated spring 2026 production kickoff holds true, we shouldn’t expect to see the new season debut in the same year. Realistically, Severance season 3 will likely premiere on Apple TV in mid-to-late 2027. This 2027 return accounts for approximately one month of production per episode, along with an additional 6-9 months of post-production for the season. These projections would align with the timing of season 2, assuming there are no delays related to strikes.
Apple TV is available for $12.99 per month and features popular TV shows and movies such as Ted Lasso, Severance, The Morning Show, Silo, and Shrinking.
