Hilary Swank Joins Season 3 of ‘Yellowjackets’ in Mystery Role

Yellowjackets surprised viewers with multiple shocking plot twists ahead of the show’s third season.

The series has a dual timeline where viewers follow a high school soccer team in the past as they survive a plane crash in the wilderness before catching up with them as adults more than two decades later.

During the second season, which concluded in May 2023, Lottie (Courtney Eaton) stepped down as the leader of the past group and handed over the role to Natalie (Sophie Thatcher). After the teens ate Javi (Luciano Leroux) as a group, they woke up to a fire started by Coach Ben (Steven Krueger) that burned down their cabin.

The present-day timeline, meanwhile, took a dark turn when Lottie (Simone Kessell) suggested that the group needed to choose a sacrifice for the darkness. Lisa (Nicole Maines) interjected by trying to defend Lottie, and as a result, Misty (Christina Ricci) almost poisoned her to death. But in a last-minute twist, Natalie (Juliette Lewis) stepped in to defend Lisa and was actually the one to die.

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After the shocking finale aired, Ricci revealed that the cast was kept largely in the dark about the decision to kill off adult Natalie.

“I didn’t know until very shortly before we shot the episode. We all love Juliette. I love Juliette. We’ve all gone through so much on the show and gotten so close and fought and reconciled and love each other — and we’re like sisters,” she recalled to Variety. “I think we were all very upset and sad that Natalie was dying. And it was tough to shoot. It was very emotional. We shot a lot more than ended up in the episode of me holding Juliette while she was dying and stuff. Those were really tough scenes, and really upsetting. I ran into Juliette the next day in the airport, and we both started crying again.”

The actress hinted that Misty will struggle with how her decision led to Natalie’s death, adding, “It was a complete mistake. She made an impulsive choice — another characteristically immature, impulsive, selfish choice where she was going to kill the person who was going to hurt her friend. Not wanting her friends taken away, it’s about keeping what she wants. It was a disastrous decision.”

Keep scrolling for everything to know about season 3 of Yellowjackets:

Where Does the Story Pick Up?

In the current timeline, Natalie was killed by Misty via a phenobarbital injection meant for Lisa. The death appeared to placate Lottie, who decided the darkness was there with them and claimed it accepted Natalie as the sacrifice. Lottie also hinted to Van (Lauren Ambrose) that as a result, the darkness will heal her cancer.

The past timeline focused on the aftermath of Javi’s drowning and how the group prepared him as their next meal. Travis (Kevin Alves) gave his permission for the others to eat his brother by biting off a piece of Javi’s heart. Coach Ben was disgusted by the behavior, which set off a chain of events where the group’s cabin was burned down.

When Will Season 3 Air?

Deadline reported in January 2024 that the writers room for season 3 reopened three months prior. As a result of delays from the Hollywood strikes, the third season of the hit Showtime series won’t air until 2025.

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Which Cast Members Will Return?

Melanie Lynskey, Ricci, Tawny Cypress, Ambrose, Kessel, Warren Kole and Sarah Desjardins are expected to return for the present story line. Sophie Nélisse, Samantha Hanratty, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Thatcher, Eaton, Liv Hewson, Alves and Krueger will also presumably return to the past timeline.

Joel McHale joined the show in a guest star role in August 2024. One month later, Hilary Swank was announced as a cast member. She has guest star status but could be upgraded to a recurring role in a potential fourth season.

Who Has Exited the Series?

After the season 2 finale, Lewis confirmed her exit from the show.

“I am beyond moved by the appreciation of my work on @yellowjackets,” she wrote via Instagram in May 2023. “I believe this team can literally do and write anything, the chemistry and exquisite talent of this phenomenal — ever-growing — cast is something I will always marvel at. You all have my heart. Until we meet again.”

Lewis has not yet addressed whether there is potential for her to return in flashback sequences.

Will Juliette Lewis Still Appear on the Show?

Despite her character’s onscreen death, Lewis told The Hollywood Reporter in January 2024 that she wasn’t ruling out a return via flashback.

“I don’t know anything,” she shared at the time. “But I think that’s a good idea. We’ll see what happens.”

Why Was the Production Scheduled Pushed?

Production was initially delayed in May 2023 due to the WGA strike. “Well, we had exactly one day in the #YellowJackets S3 writers’ room. It was amazing, and creatively invigorating, and so much fun, and I’m very excited to get back to it as soon as the #WGA gets a fair deal. #1u #unionstrong,” cocreator Ashley Lyle wrote via X (formerly Twitter) that same month.

Actors joined writers on the picket line two months later, and both strikes were resolved by the end of the year.

Lyle offered an update on how the writing process was going in December 2023 during a SAG-AFTRA panel, saying “We’re deep in the writing. Everybody came back so incredibly enthusiastic, raring to go and creatively invigorated. We’re having so much fun and are very excited about it.”

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What Future Awaits the Teenagers?

Lyle weighed in on the decision to burn down the girls’ cabin, adding at the panel, “We wanted to find a new way to test the team, and what better way than to take the big net of shelter away from them?”

How Will Season 3 Differ From Past Seasons?

“We’re in the midst of [writing] right now. I don’t want to give too much away. I always get in trouble,” Lyle told The Wrap in March 2024. “I will say we see Season 3 as a little bit of a return to Season 1 in terms of the vibe, though. All I will say is that the girls have been out there [in the woods] for awhile and they’re thriving.”

Are There Plans for More Seasons?

While season 2 was still airing, Lyle hinted that there was a plan for five seasons.

“We just want to tell the best story that we can and so that means not rushing, and it also means not dragging things out. And we’ll find the natural conclusion point,” she told The Hollywood Reporter in March 2023 about her vision for Yellowjackets.

Who Might Be the Pit Girl?

There are five characters from the past timeline whose fates haven’t been revealed: Coach Ben, Mari, Akilah, Gen and Melissa. Based on the glimpse viewers got of the Pit Girl in the pilot as the rest of the group hunted her down, Mari is the most likely candidate.

What Can Fans Expect From Season 3?

“I’m gonna put it out there that season 1 is chaotic and messy, season 2 is still cold and dark and it was winter, and then this one was the meltdown,” Hanratty told Entertainment Tonight in January 2024. “You’re going to see the melting of like what these people are and really get to see, like, the bro-ness of these girls.”

Steven Krueger, who plays Coach Ben, hinted that the upcoming season will be the “wildest, bloodiest” yet.