Will there be a Severance season 3? Here’s what we know

Science fiction thriller Severance has wrapped up its second season – but will the Ben Stiller-directed series be back for season three?

Focused on the mysterious biotech company Lumon Industries, Severance follows Mark Scout (Adam Scott), an employee who grows suspicious of the organisation’s cult-like running and severance programme, which separates its employees into “Innies” and “Outies”.

What that means is that every person’s Innie – at work persona – has no idea what their personal life is like, and every person’s Outie hasn’t got a clue what they get up to while at work.

The Apple TV+ show‘s second season finale, titled “Cold Harbor”, aired today (20 March), leaving viewers on yet another cliffhanger – but don’t worry, because Severance will be back for season three, and a lot sooner than season two.

Warning: Severance spoilers below.

What happened at the end of Severance season 2?

While Mark’s Outie is grieving the death of his wife, Gemma, it’s revealed that wellness counsellor Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman) is actually Gemma’s Innie in the season one finale.

Season two goes one better, with Gemma/ Ms. Casey held captive on Lumon’s ominously named ‘Testing Floor’, and Mark’s Outie making contact with his Innie (a big no-no) to save her, or she’ll die.

Mark does eventually succeed in saving Gemma – but instead of going with her when the pair come to exit Lumon, he stays with Helly (Britt Lower), his Innie’s love interest-ish.

(Please note: this is a drastically oversimplified version of events).

Did Burt and Irving get together?

Severance‘s major queer storyline follows the Innie-Outie politics of Burt (Christopher Walken) and Irving (John Turturro).

So did the pair finally get together in season two? Well, no, because after yet another season of ‘will-they-won’t they‘, it appears the answer is the latter.

Season one revealed that Burt’s Outie already had a husband, and during season two’s penultimate episode, “The After Hours”, Burt breaks into Irving’s flat, and drives him to a train station, buying him a one way ticket to who-knows-where, with a warning not to return. The pair share their feelings, and that seems to be that.

Will there be a Severance season 3?

…Unless it’s not. Happily (for us, though maybe not for Lumon employees), season three has all but officially been confirmed.

A January 2025 press release from production company Fifth Season parent company CJ ENM confirmed that a third season was in development, though the information was later removed from the document.

The news was then publicly ‘confirmed’ by the Writers Guild of America database, which lists two new showrunners for the show’s third season.

And, Ben Stiller’s latest podcast appearance hinted that an official announcement is coming soon – as well as a potential release date.

When will Severance season 3 come out?

Speaking on Jason and Travis Kelce‘s podcast New Heights, Stiller has confirmed that the wait for Severance season three will not be anywhere near as long as the one between its first and second seasons (which was just under three years).

“No, the plan is not to [wait three years]. Hopefully we’ll be announcing what the plan is very soon,” Stiller told the pair.

He also told in Collider in November 2024: “You have a responsibility to the audience that you’re going somewhere with it.

“That’s always been a part of it for us, really understanding where it’s heading to…It should go as long as the story goes, and that’s something we have an idea of, and we’re working towards as we’re starting up our Season 3 work.”

Severance is available to stream on Apple TV+ now.