What’s the Mindhunter season 3 release date? Society’s obsession with true crime has reared its head in many forms. Although there’s been plenty of cutting-edge documentaries and more podcasts than we can count, the best thing to come from this genre boom was David Fincher’s Mindhunter.
Mindhunter is based on the autobiographical book of the same name, written by the founding fathers of true crime, John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker. It was then adapted to become the best thriller series at the hands of one of the best directors around and launched what would turn into a rabid fanbase.
Unfortunately, news spread that the drama series had been axed by its streaming service, Netflix. But with fans forming a call to arms for its renewal, is there a chance that a Mindhunter season 3 could finally come to life? Read ahead for everything you need to know.
Mindhunter season 3 release date speculation
Netflix cancelled Mindhunter after just two seasons in 2019, so no new seasons are currently in development. If it does get renewed or picked up by another distributor, we’d likely be looking at 2026 or beyond for a new season.
Of all the best Netflix series to be cancelled, Mindhunter was one that attracted the most backlash from subscribers. The series wasn’t continued because it was said that the show was too high-budget for the streamer, but it could also be because David Fincher was busy with other projects.
“I’m very proud of the first two seasons,” Fincher said [via Forbes]. “But it’s a very expensive show and, in the eyes of Netflix, we didn’t attract enough of an audience to justify such an investment.”
All this means that a third season isn’t on the cards right now. But it’s not unheard of for fan power to bring shows back from the dead, so it’s not impossible that Mindhunter could be brought back in some way, shape or form. If that’s the case, it won’t be anytime soon, so 2026 is probably the earliest we could expect to see anything.
Mindhunter season 3 cast speculation
If the series did return, we’d expect the main trio of Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, and Anna Torv to return as part of the Mindhunter season 3 cast.
These three are the founding members of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit at Quantico, and there’s much more work to be done. Part of what has made Mindhunter so renowned was its ability to cast actors who bear an uncanny resemblance to the real-life killers they play, so we’d expect a handful of new supporting cast members to be brought on to play whichever serial killers or cases the BSU are investigating next.
Here’s the expected Mindhunter season 3 cast list:
- Jonathan Groff as Holden Ford
- Holt McCallany as Bill Tench
- Anna Torv as Wendy Carr
- Stacey Roca as Nancy Tench
- Michael Cerveris as Ted Gunn
- Joe Tuttle as Gregg Smith
- Lauren Glazier as Kay Manz
- Sonny Valicenti as Dennis Rader (the BTK killer)
What would Mindhunter season 3 be about?
Mindhunter season 3 would likely see Holden and Bill begin their investigation of the BTK killer, as well as them taking on cases in Los Angeles.
The BTK killer appeared frequently throughout seasons 1 and 2. He was one of the most notorious serial killers in American history and went on a killing spree during between 1974 and 1991. Season 2 ended with Holden and Bill becoming aware of his increasing prominence.
We imagine that season 3 would have seen them taking on the case in earnest and gathering information on who they believe would be committing these horrific murders.
Director Andrew Dominik revealed [via Variety] that season 3 would have taken place in Los Angeles, a city that became a hub for crime and serial killers during the ’80s. “It was all going to be about profiling making it into the sort of Zeitgeist, the public consciousness,” he said.
In terms of which infamous killers might have made the cut for season 3, there would have been plenty to choose from. Richard Ramirez (The Night Stalker) rampaged throughout California between June 1984 and August 1985, and has become one of the most famous killers since. So, we’d probably place our money on him to be a major subject of investigation for the BSU. (Netflix already has a documentary, Night Stalker: The Hunt For a Serial Killer, all about him.)
All in all, we think that the series would be split and would have seen some of the team heading over to the City of Angels to investigate some West Coast crimes while the rest of the unit remained behind to put in some work on the BTK spree.
Is there a Mindhunter season 3 trailer?
Since Mindhunter season 3 hasn’t been greenlit, let alone shot, there’s no trailer, and likely won’t be one for a long time.
If you are looking to get your fill, you can always check out the original book on which the movie is based. It’s an unforgettable account of how we tried to uncover the inner workings of history’s biggest monsters and is just as impactful as the series.
Or, you can always revisit the show. There’s a terrific behind-the-scenes video explaining how Cameron Britton transformed himself into a baffling killer, Ed Kemper, below.
Where can I watch Mindhunter season 3?
Where you can watch Mindhunter season 3 will entirely depend on whether it’s picked up again by Netflix or taken over by another streaming service.
While we doubt it’ll end up on the likes of, say, Disney Plus, it may come to pass that it’ll end up on another platform altogether. We’ll keep an eye out for any updates, so make sure you check back.
How many episodes of Mindhunter season 3 will there be?
If Mindhunter season 3 does get greenlit, it would likely be for nine or ten episodes.
Mindhunter was unusual in that its follow-up season had fewer episodes than the original. Since season 1 had ten episodes and season 2 had nine, we’d imagine that a new season would probably follow suit and stick with nine.
Check out our lists of the best horror series and best detective movies for more toe-curling mysteries. What’s more, we’ve also got a list of everything new on Netflix this month, so you can see what’s out there. If you’re looking for some recommendations for upcoming shows and new movies, why not check out what we know about the Stranger Things season 5 release date, or the Killers of the Flower Moon release date?