‘Outer Banks’ Season 3: Everything We Know

Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix

‘Outer Banks’ Season 3: Everything We Know

Pogues for life! Fans of Outer Banks thought the show could not get any crazier after a wild series of twists in season 1. However, the Netflix series proved them wrong in season 2, leaving everyone wanting more — as in season 3 — right away.

Season 2 saw John B (Chase Stokes) facing off against Ward (Charles Esten) yet again as the Pogues — including Sarah (Madelyn Cline), Kiara (Madison Bailey), JJ (Rudy Pankow) and Pope (Jonathan Daviss) — tried to reclaim the $400 million in gold from the Royal Merchant that the homicidal Kook dad stole from them during season 1. The teens also set out on a new treasure hunt for a cross worth its fair share in historical and financial value.

The Camerons — sans Sarah, of course, as she is firmly rooted on Team John B after her father tried to kill her — once again bested the Pogues in the season 2 finale, keeping all the treasure for themselves. However, the friends did escape to an island they have named Poguelandia.

That is not where the shocking developments ended either. John B’s father, Big John (Charles Halford), is alive and hiding out in Barbados, where he summoned his former ally Carla Limbrey (Elizabeth Mitchell) and informed her that she would have to help his son if she wanted to find a supposedly healing shroud.

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Esten spoke exclusively to Us Weekly in July 2021 about the season 2 finale, teasing that Ward’s altercation with John B will only solidify the teen’s relationship with his daughter.

“That’s a really amazing moment where he’s like, ‘What’s more important to me? My anger? My revenge?’ It’s very Star Wars,” the Nashville alum said. “‘What’s more important now? Is it my dark side? Do I satisfy my dark side in this moment? Or — she’s my light. She’s my light side. Do I go in that direction?’ That’s what those decisions are all about. That’s why he’s our hero and [Ward] is not.”

Although Netflix has yet to renew Outer Banks for season 3, more episodes seem inevitable after its successful season 2 release in July 2021. As for what is ahead, Esten predicted that the sky is the limit.

“I don’t believe [the writers] know. I love that about them,” the actor told Us. “It’s almost, like, if Houdini did a magic trick and goes, ‘OK, I’m going to put myself in this straight jacket and hang myself upside down by this chain, and this train is coming,’ and people go, ‘How do you get out of it?’ And he goes, ‘I don’t know. I haven’t figured that part out yet!’”

Scroll through the gallery below to read up on everything we know about season 3 of Outer Banks:

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Credit: JACKSON LEE DAVIS/NETFLIX

Hope for JJ and Kiara

Fans began shipping besties Kiara and JJ during season 1 after sensing their chemistry, and following her failed season 2 relationship with Pope, the viewers may finally get what they want. “Kiara could still end up with anybody at this point,” Bailey exclusively told Us in July 2021. “I think if there are scenes that really bring them together, then why not? But I don’t think you’ve seen enough scenes of just the two of them yet.”  

Pankow told Us that JJ likely felt “left out” during season 2 when Kiara and Pope gave things a shot, though he held out hope for the pairing. “I think there will be a time and a place to have that talk but it’s just not yet because there are so many other things that he’s dealing with,” he explained. 

Showrunners Jonas Pate, Josh Pate and Shannon Burke are more optimistic about Jiara than the cast. “Teen romance and teen soap are a big part of the show,” Josh told Entertainment Weekly in July 2021. “We wanted to explore the Ki-Pope relationship but obviously, we’re aware of how the fans feel about JJ and Ki. We wanted to tease that for the third season. We didn’t want to do it immediately, but we definitely want to do it just because that took us by surprise, like, the audience’s reaction to JJ and Kiara and rooting for that romance. So we were immediately open to it because it seems like an interesting idea to explore but we kind of left it for season 3.”  

The cocreator added that relationships in general will be a major factor in the next season. “That was the plan, kind of architecting the characters toward opening up some romances in season 3,” he said. 

In December 2021, Bailey exclusively told Us she’s very curious about where the story will go next. “I’m on the edge of my seat with where the writers are going to take this. I’m honestly so passionate about Outer Banks,” she shared at the time. “I feel like they can’t go wrong with the story line anywhere, and if me and Rudy teamed up as actors, I think [it] will be really sick.”

Credit: JACKSON LEE DAVIS/NETFLIX

A Worse Ward?

Esten teased that Ward could have a moral epiphany about his behavior or become even more evil. “He just crossed a real rubicon here of what he just did to Sarah,” he told Us in July 2021. “What’s exciting is it could go anywhere. He could either double, triple down and just become off the charts unhinged or I wonder — and that’s what’s so fun about Ward — there’s a part where he could also go, ‘What has happened here?’ And I don’t know what that would look like. But they’re going to need saving some time! What if Ward came along?”  

The Whose Line Is It Anyway? alum also hinted to TVLine in August 2021 that Ward “wrote [Carla] off” as a threat. “I don’t think he thinks of her as such,” he explained. “The arrogance of [the fact] that it’s been such a hard-fought war, but he keeps sort of coming out on top. He keeps making these mistakes. At a certain point, you know, he might forget that there’s other sharks out there.”

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Big Bad Rafe

Drew Starkey told Entertainment Weekly in August 2021 that he hopes his character makes a positive shift in season 3 after diving off the deep end. “A lot of his life is based off of superficial relationships and connections,” he pointed out. “The more he dives into this space of self-awareness and trying to understand his identity, I hope he actually can develop some meaningful relationships in his life.”  

Burke teased that with his father injured after his fight with John B, “Rafe at least wants to take the reins and we’ll see what happens.” 

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Big John’s Return

Jonas told TVLine in July 2021 that John B’s not-so-dead dad and Carla will likely team up against Ward in season 3. “It’s laid in there. There are a few mentions throughout the season about Limbrey. Like, Limbrey has been aligned with Big John in the past, so it’s definitely a likely way we will go,” he said. 

Josh, meanwhile, confirmed that John B and his namesake’s eventual reunion will be a major part of season 3. “John B’s relationship with his dad is a huge theme and having his dad back around and eventually they’re going to meet back up and John B has to reconcile his idealized version of his dead dad with the reality of his alive dad,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “It gives us a lot of thematic father-son stuff to work with.”

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A New Pogue

Cleo (Carlacia Grant) went from potential villain to newest member of the Pogues after helping them escape in the season 2 finale. “She has so many assets for the Pogues that so many of us wish we could do. It’ll be interesting to see where it goes,” Stokes told Entertainment Weekly in July 2021. “We kind of really don’t know her and we’ve embraced her pretty quickly in this group of the five of us, so what does this new dynamic bring? What does her background that we don’t know, how does that play into this next chapter? But I think she brings a lot of flair that throws them off, and I think it’s much needed for all the Pogues to see somebody who can put them in their position and keep them in their place.”  

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The Never-Ending Treasure Hunt

Josh told TVLine that bringing back Big John will allow the writers to combine “these different treasures that they’re going after into a larger mythology.”  

The director also confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that the teens are “not going to give up going after the gold” next season. “We use history to form the backstory of the cross and the gold, and then expanding that mythology,” he detailed. “It has to become a bigger mystery across the series. And so the treasure hunt is going to expand, and the mythology around the treasure hunt is going to evolve and get deeper. We’re pretty fired up about how that mythology is going to expand in season 3. We’ve been reading a lot of books, and we got some good things to hang it on.”

Credit: Netflix/Kobal/Shutterstock

Waiting for Netflix

Stokes told Us exclusively that the cast is “in limbo” as they wait for a season 3 renewal. “We’ve got such a talented team of writers and so we always leave it up to them to sort of figure out the story. And every time we get a script it’s just kind of blowing our seats off so I’m just excited to get my hands on it when and hopefully Netflix gives us the green light,” he said in December 2021. “We’re still patiently waiting, just sitting back trying to figure out when it’s going to happen or if they’re going to give us the call, if we’re not going to get the call, so you know. … We’re kind of in limbo right now. Obviously, the fans want it, we want to do it, so if the timing’s right, we’ll see, but fingers crossed.”

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They’re Coming Back!

“This just in from Poguelandia … Outer Banks will be back for a third season!” Netflix announced in December 2021. The cast of the hit series shared the news in a fun social media video with Stokes kicking things off with a drumroll. “Season 3 baby! Let’s go,” he said in the clip. “We’re coming back.”

Pankow celebrated the renewal by saying, “Can’t kill a pogue” on repeat, as Bailey added, “Back like we never left.” Pankow and Daviss then jumped into a pool to show how excited they are to be filming more episodes of the teen drama. The streaming service noted that the series regulars, Stokes, Cline, Bailey, Daviss, Pankow, Starkey, Esten and Austin North will all be back for season 3. Grant will also be upped to a series regular after joining the show for season 2.

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Filming Is Underway

Daviss, who plays fan favorite Pope Heyward, announced that he was back on set to film season 3 in February 2022. “I’m so happy to be filming again!” he wrote at the time via Twitter. “I missed doing this.”

Credit: Courtesy of Outer Banks/Instagram

On Island Time

“Welcome back (:,” Stokes captioned the two snaps in February 2022 of the cast back on set for season 3. The photos, which showed the actor shirtless, holding a surfboard in one hand and grabbing Cline’s hand tight with the other, caused a stir for fans who are still holding out hope that the actors will get back together off screen. (Us confirmed in November 2021 that the stars split after dating more than one year.)

The two photos showed the Pogues on what appears to be the same island that they were stranded on at the end of season 2. In addition to Stokes and Cline holding hands in character as John B and Sarah, the rest of the cast was all smiles in the first pictures from the new season.

Credit: Netflix

A Plea to the Fans

“I hate that I’m having to post this again but please, do not post spoilers of us working,” Stokes wrote via his Instagram Story in March 2022. “This is an exhausting process, and we have a really exciting story to tell.”

The Maryland native explained that he wants viewers to get the “full experience when the time is right” and not before the upcoming season hits the streaming platform. “I know you’re all excited and anxious, but I promise, it will be worth the wait,” he added.

Credit: David Buchan/Shutterstock

Cline Speaks Out on Those Hand-Holding Pics

While Cline and Starkey had to keep mum about any season 3 details, the actress did speak to Us about those viral promo photos, in which she and Stokes are holding hands. “It was our start of filming,” she said about the shots that left fans buzzing.

Credit: Evan Agostini/AP/Shutterstock

What’s Next?

“John B’s dad is alive, these kids are stranded on this deserted island — what are they going to do to get out of it?,” Stokes teased during a May 2022 interview with Elle. “God knows. But I can definitely say it’s gonna be an exciting season.”

Credit: Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock for Sun Valley Film Festival

Sarah Is Having a Moment

Cline teased what’s to come for her character, Sarah, telling E! News in May 2022, “I think there will be a lot of resolve for Sarah.” The actress added: “A lot of resolve and emotions towards her family. We haven’t seen her stand on her own two feet with her family for the last seasons, so we’re finally seeing that.”

The South Carolina native noted that Sarah isn’t the only character switching things up this season. “We’re exploring a lot of different dynamics and story lines that we haven’t had a chance to yet,” she said. “I’m just really excited about everything that we’ve shot and everything that I’ve read so far.”

As for what viewers can expect from Sarah and John B.’s arc, Cline hinted that it’s definitely worth tuning in. “My lips are sealed. I will say nothing. I think anticipation is one of the best things about being in the off-season,” she told the outlet of the onscreen romance. “I get so excited myself to even get a new script. I can’t wait for everyone to experience that.”

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Pogues or Kooks?

In June 2022, Netflix confirmed that Andy McQueen, Lou Ferrigno Jr. and Fiona Palomo would be joining the cast.

Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix

When Is the Outer Banks’ Season 3 Release Date?

Cline spoiled the show’s premiere date at an event when she said it would be released on February 23. Netflix later confirmed the news.

Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix

Has Netflix Released an ‘Outer Banks’ Season 3 Trailer?

The streamer dropped the first footage in September 2022 at the TUDUM event. A flag says “Poguelandia” as the teens run around their piece of paradise. However, it’s clear that it won’t stay quiet in paradise for long.

“My pops always said, ‘Nothin good comes easy. Nothing worthy is given. Question is, what are you willing to do to win? How far will you go to get your treasure?'” John B. says in the teaser.

Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix

What Have the 1st Look Photos Teased About Season 3?

In January 2023, Netflix released several photos from the upcoming season, including one snap of JJ and Kiara sharing a sweet moment. Kiara was notably missing from a shot of the group on a mission — but in another pic, she made a surprise appearance in a red dress at an unknown location.

Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix

Are the Pogues Starting Over?

A still from the series showed JJ putting up the flag for Poguelandia.

Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix

Who Is the Newcomer?

Kiara appeared to be at odds with a new player in the game.

Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix

Which Romance Should Fans Look Out For?

Pope and Cleo were all smiles while on a ship together.