Umbrella Academy hasn’t released new episodes since Season 2 dropped on Netflix on July 31, 2020. And while the superhero series, which was created by showrunner Steve Blackman, was already renewed for a third season in Nov. 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic initially halted production so everything got delayed a bit. But don’t worry — we’ve got all the information on Season 3, including its release date, the cast, plot and more!
The Show So Far
For those who may not be aware — or for anyone that just needs a refresher on what’s happened on the show thus far — we’re providing you with a crash course. The Umbrella Academy is set in a time and space where 43 women around the world gave birth simultaneously on the 12th hour of the first day of October 1989, without previously experiencing any signs of pregnancy. Seven of the 43 children were adopted by billionaire Sir Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore) and turned into a superhero team he calls “The Umbrella Academy” — hence, the title of the show.
Anyway, Hargreeves initially gave the kids numbers for names, but their robot-mother, Grace (Jordan Claire Robbins), later names them Luther (Tom Hopper), Diego (David Castañeda), Allison (Emmy Raver-Lampman), Klaus (Robert Sheehan), Five (Aidan Gallagher), Ben (Justin H. Min), and Vanya (Elliot Page). He then puts six of the children to work saving the world (they’re superheroes, after all), but Reginald keeps Vanya separate from her siblings since she never appeared to have any powers of her own.
The first season, which was released on Netflix on February 15, 2019, is set in the present day and a lot has happened since the siblings’ births. At the start of the show, viewers quickly learn that Luther is part ape and has lived on the moon for four years, Allison is an actress, Vanya plays the violin, Klaus has a drug addiction, Five disappeared sixteen years earlier, Ben died, but he’s also a ghost who can only converse with Klaus, and Diego has become a bit of a rebel. After the estranged siblings learned that Reginald has died, they reunite for his funeral. While doing so, Five returns from the future and reveals that a global apocalypse is imminent. Overall, the first season follows the newly reunited siblings as they try to uncover the secrets behind Reginald’s life, while navigating their dysfunctional relationships.
The second season, which was released on July 31, 2020, continues from where the first season left off. After the Hargreeves siblings failed to stop the apocalypse, they’re forced to travel back in time. Sadly, they end up splitting up and get scattered across different years across the 1960s in Dallas. Five first landed on November 25, 1963, in the middle of a nuclear doomsday, but after getting help from Hazel, he traveled back ten more days. He’s later hunted by Swedish assassins, however, he eventually found his siblings. Unfortunately for him, they had each made new lives for themselves, so he spends the season trying to reunite them so they can all stop a new apocalypse. You’d think this was Buffy the Vampire Slayer and they’re living over a hell mouth, but it’s not. However, the show is equally as great. Plus, there’s time traveling, which we love.
‘Umbrella Academy’ Final Season
At this time, it’s not clear whether Season 3 of Umbrella Academy will be the show’s final season, but what we do know is that it will consist of 10 episodes. But like we said, the COVID-19 pandemic caused chaos across the TV and movie industry, leading to major delays in production schedules. However, now that a significant number of productions are now back up and running, we think Season 3 of Umbrella Academy will arrive on Netflix in late 2021 or at the very latest, by mid-2022.
In February 2020, Elliot Page actually took to Instagram and shared a photo from the set of Season 3. “OMG we’re back again,” he wrote alongside a photo of what looks like a chair on set with the show’s logo printed on the back. And before that, Justin H. Min gave fans a sneak peek at his fellow Sparrow Academy teammates in their school uniform on Twitter, while teasing that there would be new additions to Season 3. “Let the games begin,” Min tweeted alongside the set photos seen below.
https://twitter.com/justinhmin/status/1355922934515326982
So what else can fans expect when Season 3 premieres? Well, The Handler (played by Kate Walsh) seemingly met her maker in Season 2, when she was gunned down by one-third of the “Ikea mafia”, but that doesn’t mean she’s gone for good. After all, she did previously survive a gunshot to the head. Just call her the small screen Michael Myers, because no matter what’s happened to her thus far, she always finds a way to return.
And Justin H. Min will be returning for Season 3, but this time around, he’ll be a member of The Sparrow Academy — not as a member of the Umbrella Academy. And he won’t be Ben anymore. At least, we don’t think so given his new hair and bad attitude. He could be playing an alternate version of Ben.
It’s also possible that Grace (Jordan Claire Robbins) and Pogo (Adam Godley and Ken Hall) could make a return, but nothing has been confirmed.
We’d also love to see more of Lila Pitts (played by Ritu Arya). She was a fellow patient at the psychiatric institution that Diego found himself in when he was transported back in time. She was actually undercover for the Handler, her adoptive mother, so maybe she and the Handler will both make some sort of an epic return. But just like the others we previously listed, there’s no confirmation that either of them will appear in Season 3.
‘Umbrella Academy’ Season 3 Cast
It was previously reported by Variety that Justin Cornwell, Britne Oldford, Jake Epstein, Genesis Rodriguez and Cazzie David had been added to the cast for Season 3. Netflix also released character descriptions at the time, which you can see below:
Justin Cornwell (Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, I Am the Night) will play Marcus, Sparrow #1 — “A charming, chiselled colossus. Honest, virtuous, and demanding, Marcus keeps the family together. Graceful but lethal, calculated but compassionate, he is as smart as he is strong. Marcus is disciplined, rational and in control. He oozes confidence and leadership without ever having to raise his voice”.
Britne (The Path, Hunters) will play Fei or Sparrow #3: “Fei sees the world in a special way. She comes across as a misanthrope who would rather be alone than spend even a second with you. But truth be told, Fei wishes she had a friend. Most of the time, Fei is the smartest person in the room and willing to work things out. But if you cross her there’s no looking back because Fei won’t stop until the job is done.”
Jake (Designated Survivor, Suits) will play Alphonso or Sparrow #4: “Years of crime fighting have left his face and body with countless visual reminders of his battles. To compensate, Alphonso is armed with a caustic and biting sense of humor. The only thing he likes better than verbally battering anyone foolish enough to get in his face, is a good pizza and a six-pack of beer.”
Genesis (The Fugitive, Big Hero 6) will play Sloane or Sparrow #5: “A romantic and a dreamer who feels a higher cosmic calling leaving her eager to see the world and experience a life beyond her upbringing. But obligations to her family keep Sloane tethered to the Academy, as does her fear of crossing the family line. But Sloane has plans… and one day she might just be brave enough to act on them.”
Cazzie (86’ed, NY Times best-selling author of No One Asked for This) will play Jayme or Sparrow #6: “Jayme is a loner hidden under a hoodie. She doesn’t say much because she doesn’t have to. Jayme has a fear-inducing snarl. Catch a glimpse of it, and you’ll run across the street to avoid what follows. Smart and sharp as a knife, she spends most of her time hanging with Alphonso, her only friend.”
‘Umbrella Academy’ Cast and Crew Reactions
Showrunner Steve Blackman first teased the Season 3 premiere with a title card that revealed that the first episode will be called “Meet the Family”. Then, Netflix released the rest of the episodic titles for Season 3 via Deadline and they are: “World’s Biggest Ball of Twine”, “Pocket Full of Lightning”, “Kugelblitz”, “Kindest Cut”, “Marigold”, “Auf Wiedersehen”, “Wedding at the End of the World”, “Six Bells”, and “Oblivion”.
The trailer for Season 3 will likely arrive in the month leading up to the premiere. But that premiere date may not come as soon as you think. Series star Tom Hopper confirmed to Collider that production started in February 2020, but because of COVID-19 restrictions, it’s moving slowly. “The COVID protocols mean that we have shorter days, which means that the actual length of the shoot is going to be a lot longer. But yeah, we’re really near the beginning. We’re not that far into it at the moment, so we’ve got a long way to go, but it’s good. The great thing is the material, the work is amazing, so every day on set is, like I say, a joy and so much fun,” he explained.