The Diplomat season 3: Release date speculation and latest news

Netflix clearly has a lot of confidence in the political thriller, after the second season delivered a stunning cliffhanger which saw Allison Janney's Grace Penn become US President.

Given the increased focus she will have in season 3's story, it's unsurprising that the show is introducing her husband Todd, who will be played by Janney's The West Wing co-star Bradley Whitford.

They will join the likes of Keri Russell, Rufus Sewell, David Gyasi and Rory Kinnear in the cast for season 3, which will chart Kate's journey as her husband Hal continues to push for her to become the Vice President.

Last year, as filming on season 3 continued, Russell told Deadline: "It just gets better and better. Honestly, it really does. Just when you think it’s taking one turn… and truly, it’s so fun. The main people are all there, but just taking crazy turns and [exploring] what it does to a relationship.

"We’re getting to see more of what’s going on in Grace Penn’s personal life and and her flaws, that becomes more prominent, which is great. The one episode we have not read yet is episode 8, and I can’t wait to read it."

But when will the third season of The Diplomat be released on Netflix? Read on for everything you need to know.

Will there be a The Diplomat season 3?

There will! The season was officially renewed ahead of the second season debuting, and even went into production before the new episodes had been released.

The third season went into production on 10th October 2024, with Netflix announcing it in a post on Twitter, which has been rebranded as X.

Sharing her excitement about the announcement, showrunner Debora Cahn later told Variety: "After an amazing summer shooting in the UK, we brought London home to NY. Best of both worlds — filming in Brooklyn. We love doing this. We’re so excited to get to keep going."

Fans will no doubt be delighted at the news after season 2 ended on a shocking note, with Grace Penn being named US president after President Rayburn died.

Given Kate's newfound ambitions, and Grace's involvement in the bombing of HMS Courageous, a face-off seems sure to be on the way in season 3.

When could The Diplomat season 3 be released?

We don't yet know exactly when The Diplomat will return for its third season, but Netflix has confirmed it will arrive at some point in autumn 2025.

The second season arrived around a year and a half after the first, but production on that run was delayed by the 2023 Hollywood strikes. It therefore makes sense that season 3 is arriving even sooner, around a year after season 2.

We will keep this page updated as soon as we get a confirmed release date.

What will happen in The Diplomat season 3?

Season 2 ends with a shocking reveal with Rufus Sewell's Hal calling the president to tell him that his vice president, Grace Penn (played by Allison Janney), instigated an attack on a British warship as part of a tactical move, in a strategy which accidentally caused numerous deaths.

Meanwhile, Kate finally opened up to Grace to tell her she wants her job.

But the timing turns out to be disastrous: the president gets so upset by Hal’s call that he literally drops dead, leaving Grace as the new commander in chief.

Teasing how this shocking ending will play into season 3, showrunner Debora Cahn simply said in an interview with Deadline "welcome to season 3", hinting that it will be the focus of the new season.

Meanwhile, hinting that season 3 was likely to pick up immediately after season 2, she said: "I like to stay open to the idea that, who knows, at some point we skip ahead a year or two, but I find myself always wanting to come into the story just 30 seconds after we left it.

"I’ve never done that kind of storytelling before, and I think some of it is a desire to be attentive to the fact that people watch over a longer period of time.

"They’re watching two, three episodes in a sitting, and we want to feel like it remains propulsive. It’s like one long story. They’re watching one long movie. But once you get in the habit of doing that, then it’s just fun to write that way."

We also now know that Hal will still be campaigning for Kate to be Vice President, and that we will continue to see her increasingly complicated friendship with Austin Dennison develop, while she also has an "unnerving bond" with First Gentleman Todd Penn.

Cahn has also said of the new season: "Season 3 flips the chessboard. In Season 3, Kate lives the particular nightmare that is getting what you want."

Who will be back to star in The Diplomat season 3?

When it comes to the confirmed cast for season 3, we know that Keri Russell will be back as Kate Wyler, while Rufus Sewell, David Gyasi, Ali Ahn, Rory Kinnear and Ato Essandoh will also be returning.

Meanwhile, Allison Janney is also back for season 3, after that massive cliffhanger which saw her character Grace Penn becoming president of the United States - while Michael McKean is unlikely to be back, after his character William Rayburn's shock death.

One new character we know will be introduced is Todd Penn, Grace's husband, who will be played by Bradley Whitford, providing The West Wing fans with a fun reunion for Janney and Whitford.

Here's a list of The Diplomat cast members confirmed for season 3:

• Keri Russell as Kate Wyler
• Rufus Sewell as Hal Wyler
• David Gyasi as Austin Dennison
• Ali Ahn as Eidra Park
• Rory Kinnear as Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge
• Ato Essandoh as Stuart Hayford
• Allison Janney as Vice President Grace Penn
• Bradley Whitford as Todd Penn

Is there a trailer for The Diplomat season 3?

There isn't a trailer for The Diplomat season 3 just yet, but we will make sure to add one in as soon as it is made available.

For now, you can rewatch the trailer for season 2 right here.

The Diplomat season 3 will stream on Netflix. Seasons 1-2 are available now – sign up from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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