Will there be a The Diplomat season 3?
Will we get a follow-up after that huge cliffhanger?
*Warning – contains full spoilers for all six episodes of The Diplomat season 2*
Everyone is talking about Netflix's TV thriller series The Diplomat, which has dropped an explosive second season.
The show follows Kate Wyler (Keri Russell), a diplomat who is forced to take on international relations in the UK after an international crisis.
The new instalment is once again filled with twists and turns for Russell's Kate and Rufus Sewell's Hal, as they continue to navigate Westminster politics while keeping one eye on Washington, leading to a shocking ending that certainly paves the way for a third season.
But are there more episodes of the Netflix series in store?
Read on for everything you need to know about The Diplomat season 3.
Will there be a The Diplomat season 3?
There will! The season was officially renewed ahead of the second season debuting, and even went into production before the new episodes had been released.
The third season went into production on 10th October 2024, with Netflix announcing it in a post on Twitter, which has been rebranded as X.
Sharing her excitement about the announcement, showrunner Debora Cahn later told Variety: "After an amazing summer shooting in the UK, we brought London home to NY. Best of both worlds — filming in Brooklyn. We love doing this. We’re so excited to get to keep going."
Fans will no doubt be delighted at the news after season 2 ended on a shocking note, with Grace Penn being named US president after President Rayburn died.
Given Kate's newfound ambitions, and Grace's involvement in the bombing of HMS Courageous, a face-off seems sure to be on the way in season 3.
When could The Diplomat season 3 be released?
We don't yet know when The Diplomat will return for its third season, but given that it's already in production, we'd expect fans shouldn't have to wait too long.
The second season arrived around a year and a half after the first, but production on that run was delayed by the 2023 Hollywood strikes. Therefore, we would hope season 3 could arrive even sooner - perhaps in approximately a year's time.
If this is the case, fans should expect to see the new episodes arrive on Netflix late 2025. We will keep this page updated as soon as we get any further information.
What could happen in The Diplomat season 3?
Season 2 ends with a shocking reveal with Rufus Sewell's Hal calling the president to tell him that his vice president, Grace Penn (played by Allison Janney), instigated an attack on a British warship as part of a tactical move, in a strategy which accidentally caused numerous deaths.
Meanwhile, Kate finally opened up to Grace to tell her she wants her job.
But the timing turns out to be disastrous: the president gets so upset by Hal’s call that he literally drops dead, leaving Grace as the new commander in chief.
Teasing how this shocking ending will play into season 3, showrunner Debora Cahn simply said in an interview with Deadline "welcome to season 3," hinting that it will be the focus of the new season.
Meanwhile, hinting that season 3 was likely to pick up immediately after season 2, she said: "I like to stay open to the idea that, who knows, at some point we skip ahead a year or two, but I find myself always wanting to come into the story just 30 seconds after we left it.
"I’ve never done that kind of storytelling before, and I think some of it is a desire to be attentive to the fact that people watch over a longer period of time.
"They’re watching two, three episodes in a sitting, and we want to feel like it remains propulsive. It’s like one long story. They’re watching one long movie. But once you get in the habit of doing that, then it’s just fun to write that way."
Who will be back to star in The Diplomat season 3?
We already know that Keri Russell will be back as Kate Wyler in The Diplomat season 3, while we can also be pretty certain that the likes of Rufus Sewell, David Gyasi, Ali Ahn, Rory Kinnear and Ato Essandoh will be back.
Meanwhile, Allison Janney will also no doubt be among those stars returning for season 3, after that massive cliffhanger which saw her becoming president of the United States - while Michael McKean is unlikely to be back, after his character William Rayburn's shock death.
Here's a list of The Diplomat cast members that we would expect to return for season 3:
- Keri Russell as Kate Wyler
- Rufus Sewell as Hal Wyler
- David Gyasi as Austin Dennison
- Ali Ahn as Eidra Park
- Rory Kinnear as Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge
- Ato Essandoh as Stuart Hayford
- Allison Janney as Vice President Grace Penn
- Nana Mensah as Billie Appiah
- Miguel Sandoval as Miguel Ganon
- Celia Imrie as Margaret Roylin
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What could happen in The Diplomat season 3?
Season 2 ends with a shocking reveal with Rufus Sewell's Hal calling the president to tell him that his vice president, Grace Penn (played by Allison Janney), instigated an attack on a British warship as part of a tactical move, in a strategy which accidentally caused numerous deaths.
Meanwhile, Kate finally opened up to Grace to tell her she wants her job.
But the timing turns out to be disastrous: the president gets so upset by Hal’s call that he literally drops dead, leaving Grace as the new commander in chief.
Teasing how this shocking ending will play into season 3, showrunner Debora Cahn simply said in an interview with Deadline "welcome to season 3," hinting that it will be the focus of the new season.
Meanwhile, hinting that season 3 was likely to pick up immediately after season 2, she said: "I like to stay open to the idea that, who knows, at some point we skip ahead a year or two, but I find myself always wanting to come into the story just 30 seconds after we left it.
"I’ve never done that kind of storytelling before, and I think some of it is a desire to be attentive to the fact that people watch over a longer period of time.
"They’re watching two, three episodes in a sitting, and we want to feel like it remains propulsive. It’s like one long story. They’re watching one long movie. But once you get in the habit of doing that, then it’s just fun to write that way."
Is there a trailer for The Diplomat season 3?
There isn't a trailer for The Diplomat season 3 just yet, but we will make sure to add one in as soon as it is made available.
For now, you can rewatch the trailer for season 2 right here.
The Diplomat season 3 will stream on Netflix in the future. Seasons 1-2 are available now – sign up from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.