Fans of Smiling Friends, rejoice—your favorite bizarre little show is gearing up for another round of madness. After the off-the-wall success of its first two seasons, the animated series from Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack is officially coming back for Season 3, and it’s looking more unhinged than ever. Between its surreal humor, unpredictable visuals, and deeply lovable weirdos, Smiling Friends has become a staple for Adult Swim viewers—and now, we’re finally getting a peek at what’s next.
Release Date: When Will Smiling Friends Season 3 Hit Screens?
Let’s get right to it: Smiling Friends Season 3 is aiming for a Fall 2025 premiere. While there’s no exact date pinned down just yet, insiders and studio updates suggest we’re looking at a release window somewhere between September and November 2025. That timeline comes straight from updates at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and even Corus Entertainment (which handles Adult Swim in Canada), so it’s pretty reliable.
If things stay on track, we should see the new episodes rolling out before the year ends. Co-creator Michael Cusack has said the team’s workflow is a lot more efficient now—so no more two-year gaps like we saw between Seasons 1 and 2. That said, there’s always a slim chance it could slide into early 2026 if any delays pop up, but as of now, Fall 2025 is the target.
Oh—and here’s the cherry on top: Adult Swim is so confident in the show that they’ve already greenlit Seasons 4 and 5. So yeah, Pim and Charlie aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Cast: Who’s Bringing the Smiles?
The gang’s all here. The core voice cast is locked in, which means:
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Michael Cusack will once again voice Pim, Allan Red, Mr. Frog, and a bunch of those background oddballs that pop in and out of episodes.
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Zach Hadel returns as Charlie, Glep, Gwimbly, and more.
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Marc M. is back too, playing everyone’s favorite unhinged boss—Mr. Boss.
And we’re getting a new face this season! Comedian Conner O’Malley will guest star in the premiere as Silly Samuel, a character described as “struggling with his bizarre appearance.” If you’ve seen O’Malley’s brand of chaotic comedy, you know he’s going to fit right in.
Fan favorites like Mr. Frog are also making a comeback, and word is that characters like Glep and Allan might finally get more screen time. Fingers crossed. And knowing the creators’ love for surprise cameos (remember Finn Wolfhard and Gilbert Gottfried?), we wouldn’t be shocked to see some unexpected names pop up.
Plot Details: What’s in Store for Smiling Friends Season 3?
Well, it’s Smiling Friends—so basically, expect more absolute nonsense in the best way possible.
The new season will have 10 episodes, up from 8 in Season 2. Each one will follow the usual formula: Pim, Charlie, Allan, and Glep get called in to help a client, and things spiral into surreal chaos from there. No long-running plotlines, no heavy drama—just short, funny, deeply weird stories you can binge or jump into at random.
Visually, Season 3 is also expected to go even harder. The show’s known for throwing every kind of animation into the mix—2D, 3D, stop-motion, rotoscoping, live-action—and that’s not changing. In fact, the creators have teased even more experimentation, so every episode should feel like its own little fever dream.
