'The Bear' Season 3: Everything We Know

The Bear has returned for its second season, with the hit FX dramedy following the renovation process transforming the Original Beef of Chicagoland into chefs Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) and Sydney's (Ayo Edebiri) vision of fine dining. The stellar ten-episode sophomore season ended with the titular restaurant's debut to the public, and though Friends and Family Night went well, the staff of The Bear still have a lot of kinks to work out in both the business and their personal lives. For fans clamoring for news of another round (myself included), here's everything we know about a possible season 3 of The Bear.

Has 'The Bear' been renewed for a third season?

FX has yet to announce a third season, but that makes sense since it has been less than a week since the entire season was released on Hulu last Thursday. The lack of an early renewal could be due to the ongoing writers' strike, which has considerably slowed down Hollywood. Deadline reported today that season 2's debut has become the most-watched premiere of any FX series on Hulu, and season 1 has become the most-watched single season of a comedy series in FX history, with season 2 set to break that record. Considering all this success, it's highly likely that The Bear will return for a third round.

When would season 3 of 'The Bear' premiere?

The season 3 air date depends on several factors, including when the renewal is confirmed and the length of the writers' strike, but The Bear has previously been a speedy show. After season 1 landed on Hulu on June 23rd last year, season 2 came out nearly a year to the day on June 22. If production can resume quickly, it's possible the next season could be out as quickly as late summer 2024.

Creator Christopher Storer and showrunner Joanna Calo already have plans for the show's future in place. In a previous Variety profile, the duo shared that they have a roadmap for the entire series, but they "aren’t sharing just yet how long they see the show going."

Who would be in the cast of 'The Bear' season 3?

The cast members who portray the chefs and staff of The Bear (the restaurant) are very likely to return for the next season, including Jeremy Allen White (Carmy), Ayo Edebiri (Sydney), Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Richie), Abby Elliott (Natalie), Lionel Boyce (Marcus), Liza Colón-Zayas (Tina), Matty Matheson (Neil Fak), and Edwin Lee Gibson (Ebra). Oliver Platt and Chris Witaske are also likely to reprise their roles of Uncle Jimmy Cicero and Natalie's husband, Pete, respectively.

There are other notable cast members from season 2 whose returns depend on where the story goes. Jon Bernthal is likely to pop in to play Carmy and Natalie's late brother Michael, who has appeared via flashback in both seasons. We have our fingers crossed that Jamie Lee Curtis comes back to play the siblings' mother Donna. Also, season 2 addition Molly Gordon could return if Carmy tries to get back together with his girlfriend Claire. 

What would 'The Bear' season 3 be about?

After the season 2 finale's stressful-yet-successful opening night of the restaurant, season 3 would likely focus on the new dynamic once The Bear is actually open for business, and striving to build buzz in a turbulent post-pandemic culinary scene. Once they do turn a profit, Carmy and Sydney will need to work out how to pay back Uncle Jimmy's massive loan, and also figure out profit sharing among themselves as partners. The show could also include the fallout of Carmy and Claire's breakup, as the chef (hopefully) tries to find some work/life balance and heal his relationship with his family (maybe coinciding with the birth of Natalie's baby). There's also the possibility of a romance between either Sydney and Marcus, who attempted to ask her out in season 2's final episodes, or maybe even Sydney and Carmy (anything's possible).