Snowpiercer season 3 release date: Latest news on the post-apocalyptic Netflix series

Season two, in particular, has been quite the ride, with the addition of Sean Bean as a scenery-chewing villain adding swathes of charisma to the show.

However, the explosive end of season two left quite the cliffhanger with a major character seemingly killed off - so it's a good thing the show has already been confirmed for season three.

Here's everything we know so far.

Snowpiercer season 3 release date

Shortly before season two got underway, it was announced that the show had already been renewed for a third run. So fans needn't worry about the series reaching the end of the tracks just yet.

As for when the next run will debut, there's not much in the way of information at this stage. Nor is it easy to guess an air date based on the previous series, given the first run arrived in May 2020 and the second in January 2021.

Production is reportedly ongoing in Canada until July 2021, under some coronavirus restrictions, so hopefully there won't be too long a wait – we'll let you know as soon as we hear specific details.

Snowpiercer season 3 cast

Season three should see several returning faces. One star who will be back is Jennifer Connolly, despite her character Melanie appearing to be killed off at the end of the second run.

Executive producer Becky Clements gave somewhat mixed signals when asked about Melanie's fate in a recent interview with TVLine, saying, "I don’t know that she is alive" but also revealing that "we are pleased that Jennifer will join us for season three." So perhaps her role in the next run will be limited to flashbacks?

Fans can also expect to see more of Daveed Diggs as Layton and Sean Bean as Mr. Wilford, and series regulars Alison Wright, Rowan Blanchard, Lena Hall, Mickey Sumner, Sam Otto, Annalise Basso, and Steven Ogg are also lined up to return.

We'll also meet a major new character, with The Fall and The Good Wife star Archie Panjabi joining the cast in an as-yet-unspecified role, while Clements has also revealed that "a couple of smaller characters" will join the show too. We'll let you know when we get more information on that front.

Snowpiercer season 3 trailer

There's no trailer for the third season just yet. Production is still in its early stages, so we could still be waiting a while yet. As soon as one is available, we'll add it to this page.

Snowpiercer season 3 plot: What will happen in Snowpiercer season 3?

No official plot information for the third series has been released thus far – but executive producer Becky Clements has provided a few details about what we can expect in the next series now that the two trains are apart.

Asked if the series will resemble a chase between the two trains, Clements answered, "There will be some chasing, but it will not be the full season. We definitely have lots of narratives happening. There’s survival, there’s [what happened to] Melanie, there’s research on the train, and there’s the ultimate goal…."

In a separate interview with Deadline, Clements said the next series will find all the characters "trying to find their place in their new world" while she also confirmed there would be a time jump to show "what the new world order looks like."

She added, "It’s a lot of fun in season three, how we have new alliances and new foes. It’s been fun to watch the scene work, putting new people together."

And she confirmed that we will also learn more about Josie (Katie McGuinness) and her powers, something that was touched upon in season two.

"That’s kind of our fun, interesting, sci-fi genre bit of human augmentation," she said. "How far can we and should we go in the world of CRISPR. You know, when we start messing with the maker, what happens? So, yes. There’s some interesting stuff coming there, too."

Sean Bean also discussed the new alliances with the NY Times, and how having to work together with Layton when the trains are reconnected will affect Wilford's reign.

"Maybe we’ll get to see him in a more reasonable light. There are moments where he has to bargain with people, comply with some of their demands and try to be diplomatic," Bean said.

"This might give the audience the impression that Wilford’s folding, but there’s always an ulterior motive — it’s never simple. That’s how cunning he is, how good he is at scheming."

After it was revealed that the world was getting warmer in season two, we fully expect the very timely climate change message to be expanded upon in season three - especially as Melanie seemingly died attempting to collect data on the changing temperatures. With a time jump confirmed, could it soon be warm enough for humanity to escape Wilford?

As soon as more plot details emerge we'll post them here, so keep checking back for all the latest info. Don't look at Bong Joon Ho's cult 2013 film for clues, however - the show has already deviated wildly from the movie that inspired it.

Snowpiercer seasons 1 and 2 are currently available in full on Netflix. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best TV series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, or visit our TV Guide.