Dearest reader, it is officially time to return to the world of romance and historical finery. Bridgerton season 3 has finally returned to Netflix, with the first four episodes of the split-season premiering on May 13, 2024. (Unfortunately, we'll have to wait until June for season 3 part 2.) The third season of the Regency era smash hit series sees longtime friends Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) step into the main romance storyline (with Kanthony not too far behind them). There's friends-to-lovers tension, multiple subplots with the rest of the Bridgerton cast (maybe too many subplots), and a masterful glow-up when it comes to Penelope's Regency-era fashion and hair and makeup looks. Of course, just because season 3 isn't over yet, doesn't mean fans aren't already clamoring for any news of season 4. We're keeping track of every clue we can find on Bridgerton's fourth season below.
Has 'Bridgerton' been renewed for a fourth season?
Yes! The romance series was renewed for seasons 3 and 4 in April 2021, while season 2 was still in production. As for the future of the series, Rhimes has hinted that the series could go on for as long as seven seasons (though we're hoping for eight, as there are eight novels in Julia Quinn's book series).
“I do have a very specific plan of where we go each season — which one is which,” Rhimes told Variety in a May 2024 interview. “Because you really have to start seeding in the other siblings, and what’s going on with them, to push them to the next season. We’ve really talked about it through, I think, season 6 or maybe 7.”
When will 'Bridgerton' season 4 come out?
The hiatuses between Bridgerton seasons have been unbearable for fans, as each season has taken over two years to be released. (Season 1 debuted in December 2020, season 2 in March 2022, and season 3 in May and June 2024.) If season 4 follows the same schedule, we won't see the next love story until fall 2026.
However, Rhimes has also been clear that she and the Bridgerton team are considering ways to speed up the show's production, while still working with the Netflix method of filming. She explained to Variety, “They want to write everything, and then they want to shoot everything, which is—it’s very counterintuitive to the way I learned to make television.”
"We’re really working on the idea of if this is the field we live in, then how do we make the field faster?" she added. "And so we really are thinking about stuff such as permanent sets and lots, and things like that that will really help us speed the process up.”
Which Julia Quinn book will 'Bridgerton' season 4 be based on?
Since Netflix announced that Bridgerton season 3 would bring the television series out of order with Quinn's books, fans have spent plenty of time speculating whether the show will return to the original order or continue to shake things up. Now that season 3 part 1 is out, it has become clearer which Bridgerton siblings could be next to step into the spotlight.
The series could adapt the book it had skipped over: Benedict’s story in An Offer From a Gentleman. Benedict (Luke Thompson) has been the free spirit of the Bridgerton family so far, and season 3 sets him up with another new love interest, the sophisticated widower Lady Tilley Arnold (Hannah New). We'll have to see how their flirtation plays out in part 2, but it could arguably be time for the last of the elder Bridgerton boys to settle down.
Alternatively, the show could jump to Eloise's book, To Sir Philip, With Love. Avoiding any book spoilers, neither Eloise's (Claudia Jessie) eventual love interest from the novel nor her former paramour, printer's assistant Theo Sharpe (Salam Lynch), have been mentioned in season 3 so far. Still, there is a chance that the show could drastically change Eloise's love story from the book.
There's also Francesca, who enters the marriage mart in season 3 and finds a sweet, quiet admiration for Lord John Stirling, Earl of Kilmartin (Victor Alli). Book readers know Stirling is instrumental in Francesca's story When He Was Wicked, and it's possible that season 3 part 2 could set up Francesca's eventual season even more. However, the series may benefit from holding off on adapting Francesca's book until at least season 5.
What do we know about the plot of 'Bridgerton' season 4?
While the plot is still tightly under wraps, fans can at least take comfort knowing that season 4 is already in the works. In fact, during the season 3 premiere, Julia Quinn confirmed that the show's team has already picked which Bridgerton will be the next star of the series.
"I can't say a word, I'll get in so much trouble," the author told PEOPLE at the May premiere in New York City. "I do know, but I can't say yet."
Meanwhile, in an April interview with Refinery29, showrunner Jess Brownell teased that season 4 has its star, and revealed that the show's writers are hard at work on new episodes.
"I can tell you that I know who it's gonna be. We are in the middle of writing it right now, " she said. "We're still making sure that we write the best possible script that we can before we start production. But we're really thrilled with what we've been working on. So hold out hope!"
Who will be in the cast of 'Bridgerton' season 4?
It's still very early days, but one thing we do know about season 4 is that Polin will be back! Speaking to TheWrap in May, Nicola Coughlan confirmed that she and Luke Newton will return for the upcoming season, keeping the show's tradition of bringing back (at least one member of) each season's prior couple to help along the next.
Coughlan told the outlet, “They’ve told us we’re back for Season 4, which is super lovely … It’ll be exciting. [We’ll] pop back and have some fun for sure."
