Early last year, Hulu announced at the Disney’s Television Critics Association winter press tour session that their historical dramedy The Great was renewed for a third season. The announcement came just a few months after the ten-episode second season premiered, but fans were already clamoring for more of the irreverent interpretation of Catherine the Great’s legacy.
Now, the wait for the next season is almost over. Here’s what we know so far.
When will season 3 of The Great be released?
The new season premieres on Friday, May 12 with all ten episodes.
What will in season 3 be about?
According to Hulu’s official synopsis:
Season 3 of The Great sees Catherine (Elle Fanning) and Peter (Nicholas Hoult) attempt to make their marriage work after some seemingly insurmountable problems. Peter witnessed his own attempted murder at Catherine’s hands and she also imprisoned all of his friends. On top of this, Peter is at a loose end playing First Husband to Catherine’s reign, so he busies himself with fathering, hunting and salty culinary ventures. But they’re not enough to keep him contented as visions of his late father (played by Jason Isaacs), get in his head about his failures as Peter the Great’s son. Catherine the Great starts making a name for herself beyond her borders and inspired by a visit from the US ambassador, sets up a conference where peasants, nobles and merchants can all give their input on developing a new Russia. She learns that even the best political leaders sometimes need to make compromises in order to progress.
In an earlier interview with Newsweek, Fanning and Hoult said the couple will likely be focused on raising their son, Paul.
Fanning said, “They have a kid and I don’t know how old that kid would be. I want the kid to be around. I think that would be interesting.”
Other plot lines will follow the big events of season 2. Catherine and Peter reconciled until the queen discovered her husband had sex with her mother Joanna, played by Gillian Anderson, and somehow managed to push her out the window at the same time. While she publicly forgave him, she showed up in his apartments for a good stabbing—and ended up turning the knife on his double, Pugachev. Discovering her mistake, she ended up fleeing back to Peter for comfort. Will these two ever get on the same page?
The double character is based on real-life Yemelyan Pugachev who led a peasant revolt while impersonating Peter III in 1774. Seems like he has even more reason to do so now, so maybe that will be a big event of the coming season.
Is there a trailer for The Great season 3?
Yup, Hulu shared the official trailer on April 12, a month before the season premiere. The preview shows Peter and Catherine running into some roadblocks as husband and wife. “We’ve had some difficulties,” Fanning’s Catherine says in the trailer. Hoult’s Peter adds, “Apparently marriage has…challenges.”
She must also grapple with her role as empress, a citizen uprising, and pressures within her inner circle. Watch below.
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Who will be in the cast?
Fanning and Hoult are definitely on board, and also returning are Phoebe Fox, Adam Godley, Gwilym Lee, Charity Wakefield, Douglas Hodge, Sacha Dhawan, Bayo Gbadamosi, and Belinda Bromilow.
A few have been celebrating the renewal online, like Wakefield, who posted to Instagram, “Ecstatic to share that @thegreathulu Season 3 is greenlit! #HUZZZAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!”Watch out, Georgina’s coming for you ALL!!!! Waaa hahhahahaha! (Disclaimer: I have no idea what the plot will be I just like the photos it’s kind of witchy!) CANNOT WAIT to get back on set with our incredible team! Woop woop!!”
Will there be more seasons of The Great?
In November 2021, creator Tony McNamara told The Hollywood Reporter that there isn’t a plan for how long the show should run.
“I know a whole bunch of events that are interesting that you can hang things on,” he said. “At the moment, I try not to look too far ahead. At the end of season two, I didn’t quite know what season three was. I like not knowing what comes next. If you have a show with a great ensemble and a great bunch of characters, you can invent as you go for a while.”
Aimée Lutkin is the weekend editor at ELLE.com. Her writing has appeared in Jezebel, Glamour, Marie Claire and more. Her first book, The Lonely Hunter, will be released by Dial Press in February 2022.
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