The wilderness never lets go easy, does it? Just when fans thought the Yellowjackets crew had clawed through enough horror in that blood-soaked third season, Showtime drops the news: the show’s back for round four. Announced back in May, this renewal hits like a much-needed jolt after the finale’s gut-punch cliffhanger. Folks online lit up with theories, memes, and straight-up relief—because who could walk away from these feral soccer stars now? With the teens on the brink of rescue and the adults unraveling faster than a bad knit sweater, season 4 promises to dig deeper into the scars that won’t heal. Here’s the lowdown on release timing, who’s suiting up again, and those juicy plot threads dangling like bait.
When Can We Expect Yellowjackets Season 4?
Patience is the name of the game here, but the wait feels worth it after season 3’s record-breaking run—over 3 million eyes on that finale alone, with social chatter exploding like a hive kicked over. Filming kicks off early next year, around January or February 2026, up in Vancouver’s chilly studios where the magic (and the mock wilderness) happens. Wrap-up’s eyed for summer, leaving room for post-production polish.
That puts a premiere sometime in late 2026 or kicking off 2027—think February vibes, mirroring how season 3 landed after the strikes shook things up.
Who’s Lacing Up for the Return Trip?
The core pack’s holding strong, ready to haul those emotional baggage through another round of revelations. Melanie Lynskey’s Shauna, ever the reluctant anchor, leads the adult side alongside Tawny Cypress as the fractured Tai and Christina Ricci’s unhinged Misty—because let’s face it, Misty’s chaos is the glue. Lauren Ambrose steps back as Van after her heartbreaking exit, but expect echoes of her in visions or flashbacks; the show’s got a knack for keeping the dead whispering.
On the teen front, Sophie Nélisse’s teen Shauna, Jasmin Savoy Brown’s Tai, and Sophie Thatcher’s Natalie anchor the survival saga, with Liv Hewson, Courtney Eaton, and Samantha Hanratty filling out the frayed team. Elijah Wood’s shadowy Walter lurks in the adult plot, scheming who-knows-what after Misty’s latest mess-ups. And hold onto your seats: Hilary Swank’s Melissa, that wildcard from season 3, confirmed she’s back for more—teasing in interviews that “people will die,” but zipping lips on the hows.
New faces? Whispers point to a couple fresh survivors or investigators sniffing around the post-rescue fallout, but nothing solid yet. The ensemble’s massive, so contract wrangling took time post-renewal, but everyone’s signed on to chase those five-season ghosts the creators dreamed up from the jump.
What to Expect in Yellowjackets Season 4?
Season 3 wrapped with a double-barrel blast: the adults’ world cracking after Lottie’s shocking end at Callie’s hands (yeah, that twist still stings), Misty’s suspicions boiling over, and Tai gunning for payback amid the group’s splintering trust. Walter’s side-hustle stays murky—birdwatching cover for something sinister?—setting up a powder keg of betrayals.
Flash back to the ’96 freeze: after 19 months of feasts that’d make your stomach turn, Natalie’s mountain scramble pays off. She patches that busted transponder (thanks, Misty’s season 1 sabotage) to a sat phone, screaming into the void for help. Rescue’s inbound, but not without teeth—the finale’s hunt culls Mari as the infamous Pit Girl, crowning Lottie Antler Queen in a ritual gone feral. Eight make it home, we know that much from hazy post-rescue glimpses, but who else bites it before the choppers hum?
Expect season 4 to crack open that immediate aftermath: the media circus, psych evals, and suburbia swallowing the girls whole while the wilderness tags along in their nightmares.
