Looks like FX can handle the heat and are staying in the kitchen – The Bear has been greenlit for a third season. By all accounts it was an easy choice. The breakout Hulu series, created by Christopher Storer, was initially intended for a limited run. But that was before the internet decided to test how far it could stretch the phrase "yes chef" as a meme.

Although the WGA strike may be over, with SAG-AFTRA yet to reach an agreement with the studios, it's not yet clear how and at what point season three will begin production. Which is why, below, we're bringing you everything we know so far about the forthcoming season of The Bear.

What will season 3 focus on?

Where the first season of The Bear depicted Jeremy Allen White's Carmy and Ayo Edebiri's Sydney on a mission to save their beloved Chicago sandwich shop from going to seed, the second season focused on transforming The Beef, and its surviving staff, into an institution worthy of a Michelin star.

We leave the characters at an make-or-break moment. They've managed to pull off the soft opening of The Bear by the skin of their teeth, even if Carmy got locked in the walk-in fridge. Natalie's about to pop, with a new baby Berzatto on the way. Communication between Carmy and his team has eroded, and the chef has sabotaged his romance with Claire, played by Molly Gordon. While it's not yet clear what route season three will take plot-wise, we're enjoying the intimacy of spending an episode with each of the ensemble cast members. Which leads us on to the subject of returning characters.

Who is involved?

As production is yet to begin, we don't have a clear understanding on who will star in the third season. There are some safe bets however, including Allen White, Edebiri, Matty Matheson – who doubles as executive producer, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, L-Boy, Liza Colón-Zayas, Molly Gordon and Abby Elliott.

Given the success of the series, we're certain season three will be crammed with further high-profile cameos, as we saw with the inclusion of Olivia Colman, Will Poulter, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sarah Paulson, and Bob Odenkirk. It seems like every actor once a piece of the pie. Our casting requests? Jeremy Strong, Paris Hilton, Edebiri's bestie, Rachel Sennott?

Is there a release date for season three of The Bear?

It's too early to tell exactly when season three of The Bear will arrive on our screens. Everyone is hoping for a 2024 release date, but that might be optimistic with the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. Just days earlier, HBO announced hit shows like Euphoria and The White Lotus would be pushed to a 2025 release date. We've got our fingers crossed that The Bear doesn't suffer the same fate. And if it doesn't, can someone please work out a way that we can watch it in Australia at the same time as the US? That month-long wait killed me last time.

 

Image: X (we just want Twitter back)