Spoilers for Yellowjackets below.
Yellowjackets’ third season was probably its bloodiest yet (with some painful goodbyes) and still, we’re craving more from the survival drama. Now that the season 3 finale has aired with some game-changing plot twists, what could come next for our tough-as-nails teens in the wilderness and their troubled adult counterparts? Here’s what we know about the future of Yellowjackets so far.
Was Yellowjackets renewed for season 4?
Yes, the news arrived on May 20, about a month after the season 3 finale. The renewal was expected, according to Deadline, given season 3 was Yellowjackets’ most streamed ever.
“Yellowjackets has become a cultural juggernaut, with season three shattering all previous records—we are thrilled to announce its renewal for a season four on Paramount+,” Chris McCarthy, Co-CEO of Paramount Global and President of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios, said in a statement, per Deadline.
Showrunners Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson, and Jonathan Lisco originally planned for a five-season run. Lyle, who is also a co-creator, told Entertainment Weekly in March 2023, “The original plan was about five seasons, and we feel like we’re still on track for that.” She added at the time, “So far, we’ve been really on track.” But we don’t know if the plan has changed in the last two years.
What will Yellowjackets season 4 be about?
While we wait for the official synopsis, let’s consider what we learned in the season 3 finale. The episode ends with Natalie discovering the plane transponder that Misty hid all the way back in season 1, and she’s successfully able to use it. After pleading into the radio, she hears a voice on the other end of the line saying, “Yes, I can hear you.” Will season 4 finally see the girls get rescued?
Sophie Nélisse, who plays young Shauna, would like to see that next season.
“I’m very excited for what’s to come in season 4, although I have, like, no hints,” she told The Direct. “I would like them to be rescued [in season 4]. Or maybe like, partially, half [of season 4] is in the wilderness, and then half is them getting back to real life. And I would love to see how they cope with that, having the pressure of family and the media and school, and having to be immersed in like, a normal life after having undergone all of those events.”
But she also warned that Shauna could be even more dangerous in season 4, especially now that she’s the Antler Queen. Nélisse told ELLE.com, “I don’t think she has the best way of having power over the group, and I think her being in that position is a bit scary because now she’s somewhat unstoppable. So I’m very terrified to see the extent of what she’ll do next season.”
Meanwhile in the present-day timeline, Shauna’s daughter Callie and husband Jeff have taken off after Callie reveals that she accidentally killed Lottie. Shauna is on the verge of her darkest turn yet, and even Misty and Tai seem to be losing their trust in her.
Melanie Lynskey (Adult Shauna) has no idea what’s coming next, or whether Shauna is safe. “I could be killed off in Episode 1 of Season 4. I literally don’t know,” she told Variety.
Regarding whether Shauna will be the antagonist next season, she added, “I don’t think she’s the villain, but I do think she is the most comfortable when things are very tense and very dangerous.”
This story will be updated.
