When will Season 3 of The Bear premiere?

Cortisol addicts will no doubt have heard that FX’s The Bear has been renewed for a third season, and FX has confirmed the entire new season will hit screens this week on Disney+.

The much anticipated season will be dropping earlier than previously announced, landing on screens at 4pm, June 27. It may only be a three-hour headstart but when we’ve been waiting so patiently, a little treat is deserved.

Filming began in January, off the back of a boatload of awards and nominations at both the Golden Globes and the Emmys (among others).

Jeremy Allen White has also been guaranteeing views thanks to a viral spread with Calvin Klein, but that’s neither here nor there.

Turnaround on set has, thankfully, been very fast. The show received a renewal just a month after the series premiered, with Season 2 arriving after only a year-long hiatus. The incredibly tight filming schedule sets the bar very high for other streaming services and we’re not complaining about it.

News of the season 3 release date also came with a short trailer, in which we see Carmy alone in his restaurant kitchen in the middle of the night. The chef is unwrapping his knives before pausing with his classic thousand-yard-stare.

The latest official trailer reveals much more on what’s to come, as we get a sneak peak of the fine-dining dishes (complete with tweezers and microgreens), business partnerships, romance, and of course, tensions between Carmy and Richie.

Related story: ‘The Bear’ Season 2 is streaming now in case you wanted a second helping of chaos

So what do we know about Season 3 so far?

Well, at this stage it’s a lot of speculation, but according to a 2023 Vanity interview, White has hinted that the season will see a return of a “functional kitchen atmosphere” while sticking with recurrent themes.

Season 2 left us at the friends-and-family night of Carmy’s restaurant – eponymously named The Bear – so we assume that doors will open to the public and with a bit of luck, business will be good. After all, the team still needs to pay Uncle Jimmy back.

We reckon there’s also more than a few metaphors floating around in Carmy’s renaming of the family restaurant from The Beef to The Bear. A struggle and a fight will be replaced with a bull (well, bear) at the gates. 

Our fragile hearts are also holding out hope for Carmy and Claire, and if there’s any justice in this world, Sydney will fall head over heels for Marcus – who will have apologised profusely for snapping at her ugh.

If the first two seasons set the stage, we’re expecting themes of grief and loss – relationships, business, family and dreams – to deliver a gut punch here and there, too.

Related story: Cousin! Why Richie is our favourite character in The Bear Season 2

Which actors are cast in Season 3 of The Bear?

It seems like everyone in Hollywood was lining up to join the cast of The Bear in Season 2 (for which we anticipate a repeat of in Season 3), though it’s unlikely we’ll see the return of all the big name cameos.

Brit star Will Poulter, who played Luca, a Copenhagen-based chef who took pastry chef Marcus under his wing as he skilled up in the city, told Variety, “I literally begged to be in the show.” Will he make a return? Copenhagen is a few oceans apart from Chicago.

Jamie Lee Curtis, who played Carmy’s well-meaning but flawed mother Dianne in Season 2, could return for another season, despite her crashing her car through the living room wall at Christmas (it’s a stressful time for everyone). No story lines have indicated her character’s death, though flashbacks are possible.

We assume we’ll meet back up with Jon Bernthal as Mikey, and potentially Bob Odenkirk as Uncle Lee, because he’s a delightfully bumbling dork. Cousin Richie’s story arch has been one of the most uplifting of Season 2, and we would love to see him find common ground with his ex Tiffany, played by former star of Community, Gillian Jacobs. The most recent trailer unfortunately shows that even in a fancy suit, old habits die hard and we’re hoping it’s a momentary lapse in Richie’s judgement.

Season 3 of The Bear will be available to stream on June 27, 2024 on Disney+.

Related story: This cooking hack from The Bear is the secret to perfect poached eggs and omelettes