Locke and Key will return for a third season on Netflix after the streamer awarded the fantasy drama an early renewal late last year, which allowed production on more episodes to move ahead at a brisk pace.
That will come as a relief to fans given the shock Locke and Key season 2 ending, which saw an enemy from the family’s distant past resurface in an unexpected way.
It appears that this new foe will be a step up from the show’s previous villain Dodge, with showrunner Meredith Averill describing him as the Lockes’ “greatest threat” to date (via Collider).
“The third season focuses much more heavily on the family,” she said. “They’re gonna face the greatest threat they’ve had to face yet. That really bonds them in a way that we’ve never seen before. I can’t say more than that.
“Part of our challenge, that we happily take on, is that every season we need to outdo the season before it. It’s a challenge, but it’s a fun one, and I think we’ve been able to do that.”
If you’re itching to get back to Matheson for more magical mayhem, read on for everything we know so far about Locke and Key season three on Netflix, including release date rumours, cast, trailer and more.
Locke and Key season 3 release date
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Locke and Key will return for season three on Netflix, but the streaming service is yet to announce exactly when the next batch of episodes will be available to stream.
The fantasy series earned an advance renewal in December 2020 (via Deadline), allowing the second and third seasons to be filmed back-to-back, making up for time lost in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.
In August 2021, Locke and Key star Darby Stanchfield confirmed in an Instagram post that filming had wrapped on season three, while also giving us a glimpse at some of the keys we can expect to see in the upcoming instalments.
Given how far ahead production is this time around, RadioTimes.com predicts that Locke and Key could return sooner than expected, perhaps returning to its original launch date in the first quarter of the year.
We’ll keep an ear to the ground for an official release date announcement from Netflix, so keep checking back for updates.
Locke and Key season 3 cast
Locke and Key’s season two finale saw the eponymous family bid farewell to one of their own, Tyler (Connor Jessup), as he prepared to start a new life in Boston for university.
However, fans will be pleased to hear that Jessup isn’t leaving the show altogether, with the eldest Locke sibling confirmed to be returning in the upcoming third season.
“I don’t think when he leaves at the end of season two that his story is over,” the Falling Skies actor told Decider. “To me, it felt like a new chapter, but it didn’t feel like a resolution. So, there’s still more for Tyler.”
Jessup can also be spotted in Darby Stanchfield’s aforementioned Instagram photo from the set of the third season, suggesting his character returns to Matheson, perhaps for his summer break.
In addition, we can expect more from the other two Locke siblings Kinsey and Bode, played by Emilia Jones and Jackson Robert Scott, as they settle into their roles as Keepers of the Keys.
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They’ll have a bit of extra help this time around as Aaron Ashmore’s Uncle Duncan has had his memories restored, while Stanchfield’s Nina Locke looks set to be the next recipient of the Memory Key’s powers.
That’s a stroke of luck as Kevin Durand’s menacing villain Frederick Gideon is confirmed to play a major role in the next season, and if the finale is any indication, he isn’t messing around.
The Lockes might find more back-up from their friends at Matheson Academy, with Petrice Jones (Scot), Asha Bromfield (Zadie), Jesse Camacho (Doug) and Eric Graise (Logan) all likely to reappear down the line.
It’s unclear whether Sherri Saum will reprise her role as Ellie Whedon, who was reunited with son Rufus (Coby Bird) and lost love Lucas (Felix Mallard) in season two, but couldn’t be blamed if she chose to resettle far away from Matheson.
It seems like Griffin Gluck and Laysla De Oliveira won’t be back in season three, given that Dodge has now been defeated, while Genevieve Kang is also unlikely to return after Matheson Academy pupil Jackie Veda sadly died.
Locke and Key season 3 plot spoilers: What will happen next?
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The final scene of Locke and Key season two introduced an Echo of barbaric revolutionary war soldier Frederick Gideon, who is possessed by what could well be The Black Door’s most formidable demon.
Demonic student Eden Hawkins expressed surprise when she discovered exactly which of her brethren was latched onto Gideon’s soul, but that shock turned to terror when he picked her up by her ankles and dropped her down a well.
Needless to say, it appears that this new foe won’t be taking any prisoners, in stark contrast to previous baddie Dodge, who developed a soft spot for Kinsey Locke over the course of the second season.
The Locke and Key comic books, upon which the show is based, will seemingly be less of a guide in season three, as Gideon is a character who has never appeared in the source material.
While some purists might be concerned about major changes being made to the original story, this does lend the next season a sense of complete unpredictability that should make for edge-of-your-seat viewing.
Locke and Key season 3 trailer
There’s no trailer for Locke and Key season three just yet, but with filming already complete on the next chapter, we could see one sometime in the next few months.
Locke and Key seasons 1-2 are available to stream on Netflix. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage, read our guides to the best series on Netflix and the best movies on Netflix, or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.