Here’s what to expect from The Orville season 3, including when it might release and what its story could be. Created by Seth MacFarlane, who also stars in the series as Captain Ed Mercer, The Orville‘s cast features Adrianne Palicki, Penny Johnson Jerald, Peter Macon, and Scott Grimes, among others, including the late Norm MacDonald, who voiced the character of Yaphit, and completed his work on The Orville season 3 before his passing.
Heavily inspired by Star Trek, the characters in The Orville are clear parallels to the iconic sci-fi franchise, with the captain being joined by a first officer (who’s also his ex-wife), a second officer, a chief medical officer, a helmsman (who’s also the captain’s best friend), and a security chief. The Orville season 2 saw the crew face down new alien threats, while Ed and Kelly (Palicki) moved closer together once more, with the latter accepting to go on a 2nd date with him.
With things nicely poised for The Orville season 3, fans have been wondering what the current status of the show is. Fox had renewed The Orville for season 3 as of May 2019, but plans for the show have changed since then. Here’s the latest on season 3 of The Orville.
The Orville Season 3 Renewal
Fans can rejoice now because The Orville season 3 is happening. The show will not be quietly disappearing forever, although it will be leaving FOX. Instead, Hulu has stepped in and picked up the series for 11 episodes with a longer running time (adding about 10 minutes to each). MacFarlane announced the new deal at San Diego Comic-Con in July of 2019. Both Hulu and FOX are owned by Disney, so it should be a seamless move for cast and crew.
The Orville Season 3 Release Date Info
The Orville season 3 has wrapped production in August 2021, with the release date now set for March 10, 2022, announced with a new teaser trailer from Hulu. The trailer also revealed a new title for The Orville season 3, which is now called The Orville: New Horizons. Part of the delay for season 3 is due to the actual production of episodes. MacFarlane said that The Orville had become more ambitious over time, causing it to take longer to finalize and deliver episodes, per Variety.
The Orville Season 3 Story Details
Creator Seth MacFarlane has said that the upcoming season 3 will “cement” The Orville as “its own animal” and not just a show inspired by Star Trek, per SYFY Wire. Of course, the move to Hulu means that the series is no longer obliged to meet restrictive broadcast standards, so more adult themes could come into play. While The Orville season 3 will only have 10 episodes, they will be 12-15 minutes longer, with an eye toward more two-part episodes.
There are very few details known regarding what’s in the actual scripts for The Orville season 3, but co-producer and editor Tom Costantino said to Trekzone, “There will be a continuation of things we care about, characters we care about.” Star Jessica Szohr, who plays Talla Keyali on the show, has hinted that her character will have a “big part to play” in the new season. A new image from The Orville season 3 shows the usual cast, as well as new additions Anne Winters as Ensign Charly Burke, and guest stars Bruce Boxleitner as President Alcuzan, and Lisa Banes as Senator Balask. Costantino also added that writers would address previous fan complaints in The Orville season 3. Finally, if season 2 was any indication, the comedy will focus less on jokes and continue to develop more dramatic plots.
