The video-game-obsessed Arisu and his friends have made it out alive thus far in the game arena. But we can’t rest easy yet as more adventure and danger await them with the official announcement of Alice in Borderland season 3.
Based on the brilliant manga by Haro Aso, the Japanese sci-fi thriller drama has secured a solid stance among the survival genre series, having been extensively praised for its cinematography, editing, and vivid visuals. Alice in Borderland follows Arisu as the leading character, along with a group of strangers who find themselves trapped in a parallel world “game arena,” where they have to play and win sadistic games to stay alive.
This dystopian tale was first released by Netflix in Dec. 2020, and it quickly rose to the Top 10 chart in more than 70 countries. The successful debut demanded a renewal, and fans got exactly what they asked for in Alice in Borderland season 2, resulting in the season clocking 200 million viewing hours worldwide, the highest of any title from Japan.
Predictably, the most obvious response to the sensational viewership numbers was another renewal, and Alice in Borderland has successfully secured a third season order to everyone’s delight. Netflix has announced that fans should “expect nothing short of an adrenaline-fueled rollercoaster ride” from the upcoming season, and if you can’t wait for season 3 to drop just like us, here’s the official release window, returning cast, and more details about Alice in Borderland that you should be itching for.
Alice in Borderland season 3 release window
Nine months after Alice in Borderland season 2 hit, the series received a green light for season 3 in Sept. 2023. The streaming service broke the news with a short teaser video captioned “You may draw another card. Alice in Borderland will return for season 3!”
But as much as the excitement wave came swirling with the news, the viewers were still left hanging with a bigger question — when will Alice in Borderland season 3 come out?
While we can’t curb your curiosity with an exact date yet either, a release window can be worked out from the series’ past release pattern. Given that there are two-year gaps between its first two seasons, Alice in Borderland season 3 can be anticipated to be released in late 2024. The past two seasons were released in Dec. 2020 and 2022, so Dec. 2024 might be when we can see Arisu and his friends again.
Alice in Borderland season 3 cast
The return of the beloved series will not be as exciting without the return of the original cast. Thankfully, Netflix has announced that Kento Yamazaki and Tao Tsuchiya will reprise their roles as Arisu and Usagi in Season 3, meaning our leading stars will be back.
This announcement has come with a promise that fans will also witness “the evolution of their characters in the ever-dangerous landscape of Borderland.” As for the other characters, there’s no official word yet, but in all probabilities, the supporting cast will also be back to back up the story, meaning we will get to see our survivors Chisiya, Kueina, Ann, Aguni, and Niragi, too.
Alice in Borderland season 3 plot
We’re also very curious about the Alice in Borderland season 3 plot. Since the source material’s story officially finished adaptation in season 2, fans wonder how will the tale go on. The silver lining, however, lies in the promise of entirely new content crafted from the imaginative minds of the series’ creators.
As for the potential trajectory of the narrative, Season 2’s finale already provided a tantalizing glimpse into the series’ future. After our heroes win the last game in season 3, episode 8, we nearly have a happy ending where everyone has the option to stay as “permanent residents” or not. The players who decide not to stay there then awaken in the real world, and Arisu’s brother informs him that, for a brief moment, his heart stopped and he was on the verge of life and death.
Since the survivors could now move on with their lives without remembering their experiences in the other realm, this may have been the happy conclusion for the series. However, the camera swings to a table of playing cards in the closing scene, emphasizing the enigmatic Joker card. The Joker is the manga’s version of Ferryman, who has the key that allows the group to return to reality.
At this point, the writers might decide to flip the narrative around and have the group play the game of death once more, or we might see a completely new story unfold in Alice in Borderland season 3, with the chapter of the “game arena” now closed.
Either way, we’re hoping for more news soon!