Atlanta was one of the most eccentric and brilliant shows when it hit FX, but fans have had to deal with long periods between seasons.
Atlanta Season 1 hit in September 2016, almost four years ago. The second season hit in March 2018, nearly two years later.
The comedy-drama series stars Donald Glover as a young music manager trying to make his career, while Brian Tyree Henry is his cousin Paper Boi, a hot young rapper who is trying to make through his career in one piece.
Here is everything we know so far about Atlanta Season 3.
- Updated on December 24, 2021 with the release date.
This article provides everything that is known about Atlanta Season 3 and all related news. As such, this article will be updated over time with news, rumors, and analysis. Meanwhile, let’s dig down into what is known so far.
Is there going to be a Season 3 of Atlanta?
In June 2018, FX ordered the third season of Atlanta. The network then added a renewal for Season 4 in August 2019.
The plan is to do 10 episodes in Season 3 and eight episodes in Season 4, and Deadline reports that it was Glover himself who talked to FX about the two upcoming seasons.
Nick Grad and Eric Schrier, the presidents of original programming for FX Networks and FX Productions, announced the renewal of Atlanta on June 7.
“Atlanta is phenomenal, achieving and exceeding what few television series have done,” Grad said. “With Atlanta Robbin’ Season, Donald and his collaborators elevated the series to even greater heights, building on the enormous success of their award-winning first season.”
The renewal was not a surprise because Atlanta held the best ratings of any basic comedy on cable.
Release date latest: When does Atlanta Season 3 come out?
Season 3 of Atlanta won’t come out until sometime in 2021, and there has been some big news for the season.
Instead of eight episodes, the new season of Atlanta will feature 10 episodes. This expansion of episodes happened in January 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down, so the expected January 2021 release date is not likely to happen.
The series could have reached its January 2021 release date if not for a delay before the coronavirus pandemic. That delay was due to Donald Glover’s This is America music tour that was taking place.
Then, coronavirus hit, and the delays were extended.
The good news is that the third season will not be shot in the United States, and with other countries able to turn things around during the pandemic, it has a better chance to complete production than anything made in the United States.
Additional good news is that, when the production starts, FX Networks Chairman John Landgraf said that the third and fourth seasons would film in sequence. He also said that there would be less than a year break between Season 3 and Season 4, which should be a treat for fans, which are used to long waits for new episodes.
Atlanta Season 3 will return to FX on March 24, 2021.
This is four years since the second season premiered.
We are thrilled to have Atlanta back with a new season on March 24,” FX Entertainment president Eric Schrier said. “Once again, Donald Glover, the producers and stellar cast have delivered another signature season synonymous with the excellence that makes Atlanta so great.”
Not only that, but there will be a fourth season as well, with production already underway.
Atlanta Season 3 cast updates
The main cast should return for Season 3 of Atlanta. This includes the main actors, Donald Glover and Brian Tyree Henry.
Glover is Earn Marks, a young manager who is trying to get his career off the ground. Henry is a hot young rapper called Paper Boi, trying to walk the line between his real life and the life of the streets of a rapper.
Other actors back are Lakeith Stanfield, who is Darius, Paper Boi’s right-hand man and visionary, and Zazie Beetz as Van, Earn’s best friend, and the mother of his daughter.
Atlanta Season 3 spoilers
In Season 2, known as Atlanta Robbin’ Season, two cousins, Earn Marks (Donald Glover) and Alfred “Paper Boi” Miles (Brian Tyree Henry), are trying to get their careers off the ground.
Season 3 should likely take place during Paper Boi’s European tour. It should also deal with what happened in Season 2, which almost ruined the career of Earn Marks.
Before leaving for Europe, Earn sees that his gun is still in his backpack and he makes a controversial move. He plants the gun in another rapper’s bag (Clark County).
However, when they are on the plane, Earn learns that Clark’s manager Luke ended up with the gun planted in his bag, and Paper Boi knew that Earn was responsible, but said that he understood because people need to watch out for one another in this business.
As that moment in Season 2 proved, Earn is learning that he has to sometimes play the game to make it in the business. The problem is that this moment will have long-term negative effects on his future.
If anything, Season 3 will see Earn decide if he wants to be a good man for his girlfriend and her daughter or an insider who will do anything he needs in order to manipulate his career’s trajectory.
Atlanta Season 3 will premiere on FX on March 24, 2021.