Fans of Hulu’s addictive drama Tell Me Lies still can’t shake off that gut-punching season 2 finale. The kind that leaves everyone scrolling through Reddit threads at 2 a.m., debating if Bree will torch her wedding dress or if Stephen’s revenge arc finally crosses into unforgivable territory. Season 2 wrapped up in October 2024 with bombshells that ripped through friendships and relationships like wildfire, and the good news hit just two months later: Hulu renewed the series for a third season on December 19, 2024. Showrunner Meaghan Oppenheimer, who’s also penned an overall deal with 20th Television, stays at the helm, promising more of that signature blend of heartbreak, betrayal, and “why do I love hating these people?” vibes.
Based on Carola Lovering’s 2018 novel, the show has already veered off the book’s path in season 2, opening up endless possibilities for what’s next. With production wrapping up recently, the buzz is building. Here’s the latest scoop on release dates, who’s back (and who’s new), and the plot threads that have everyone theorizing wildly.
When Will ‘Tell Me Lies’ Season 3 Drop?
No exact premiere date has dropped yet, but production timelines offer some solid hints. Filming kicked off in May 2025 in Toronto, with the official Tell Me Lies Instagram confirming it was “underway” on May 23. By late September 2025, Grace Van Patten (Lucy) spilled to Glamour that the cast had just wrapped shooting on May 26 – wait, timelines got a bit fuzzy there, but the key takeaway? Cameras are done rolling.
Looking at past patterns, season 1 hit Hulu in September 2022, and season 2 followed in September 2024 after a two-year gap. This time, with filming wrapped earlier, early 2026 feels like the sweet spot – think January or February to keep the momentum rolling.
Who’s Joining the Chaos? Full Cast Breakdown for Season 3
The core crew from seasons 1 and 2 is locked in, because let’s face it: Tell Me Lies thrives on these messy dynamics. Grace Van Patten and Jackson White return as the toxic heart of it all – Lucy Albright and Stephen DeMarco. Off-screen, the duo’s real-life romance (sparked during auditions) adds that extra layer of meta magic, with Van Patten telling Elle in August 2025 how their trust makes those intense scenes “a whole other experience.”
Expect the full Baird College squad to reunite:
- Catherine Missal as Bree: The bride-to-be whose world implodes in the finale. Her arc with the professor scandal? Still simmering.
- Spencer House as Wrigley: Fresh off grieving his brother Drew’s tragic overdose, House told TV Insider he’s unsure how to top the “constant spiral” – but it’ll be devastating.
- Sonia Mena as Pippa: The group’s moral compass, now tangled in her own assault aftermath. Mena’s on-screen friendship with Van Patten feels genuine, and fans are rooting for Pippa’s justice.
- Branden Cook as Evan: The cheater at the center of the wedding wreckage. Will he salvage anything?
- Alicia Crowder as Diana: Steady but shady – her secrets keep unraveling.
- Natalee Linez as Lydia: Stephen’s sister, whose family ties pull at old wounds.
Tom Ellis reprises his role as Oliver, the married professor whose affair with Bree lit up season 2. Despite early rumors of a one-and-done stint, Ellis confirmed to People in May 2025 he’s back, teasing fans “will not be disappointed.” His real-life marriage to Oppenheimer adds juicy behind-the-scenes flavor.
Fresh faces amp up the intrigue:
- Costa D’Angelo as Alex: A series regular debuting as a psychology grad student and part-time drug dealer with a shady Bree connection. Deadline announced him in May 2025 – think troublemaker with depth.
- Iris Apatow as Amanda: Recurring as a bubbly freshman hiding “a big secret.” The Euphoria alum joins in June 2025 per Deadline, bringing that Apatow-family edge (daughter of Judd and Leslie Mann).
No major exits confirmed yet, but with the show’s history of killing off key players (RIP Macy and now Drew), anything’s possible. The ensemble’s chemistry – like Missal and Cook’s electric tension – keeps it grounded amid the madness.
Tell Me Lies Season 3 Potential Plot
Season 2’s finale was a masterclass in escalation: Drew’s accidental overdose guts Wrigley, Pippa grapples with trauma, and – the real kicker – Stephen drops that audio bomb on Bree right before her vows to Evan, exposing his hookup with Lucy. Cue the confetti-fueled catastrophe. Oppenheimer told Variety in October 2024 that season 3 picks up right there, with a heavier lean into the 2015 timeline but flashbacks to wrap 2008 loose ends. “It’s the peak of all these people’s worst decisions,” Van Patten warned E! News in August 2025. “More chaos, more juicy juice.”
Expect fallout everywhere:
- Bree’s Reckoning: Does the wedding implode? Her professor fling with Oliver hangs in the balance – Ellis called it the “darkest season yet” to Entertainment Tonight, hinting at “unlikely partnerships.”
- Lucy and Stephen’s Vortex: Van Patten teased to Glamour that season 3 shifts focus beyond their endless push-pull, diving into side characters. But after Lucy runs to Stephen post-breakup? That magnetic toxicity won’t fade quietly. White joked to E! in 2024 he’s “manifesting” more of their spiral.
- Wrigley’s Grief Spiral: House admitted to TV Insider the overdose leaves him “devastated” – therapy sessions? Revenge? Or pulling the group apart?
- Pippa’s Justice: Will she confront her assault? Mena hopes for growth, but this show’s not kind to redemption arcs.
- New Twists with Alex and Amanda: D’Angelo’s dealer-psych student ties into Bree’s mess, while Apatow’s secretive freshman could spark campus-wide drama. Episode titles like “You Fucked It, Friend” and “I’d Like to Hold Her Head Underwater” (via Wikipedia) scream unhinged vibes.
Oppenheimer hinted at a potential time jump, per Variety, to explore post-college fallout – think 2015 repercussions bleeding into real-world consequences. And while Ellis suggested to ET in August 2025 this might wrap the series (“Meaghan wrote it as the last”), Hulu’s silence leaves room for more seasons. One thing’s certain: secrets like Stephen’s role in Macy’s death won’t stay buried forever.
