Unfortunately, Bridgerton season 4 won't premiere until 2026, says showrunner

Bridgerton season 3 part 2 finally released on June 13 and delivered the dramatic and romantic conclusion to Polin's story we've been waiting for. But as one season ends, the next one's at the top of mind for all fans. Who will be the season 4 lead? And better yet, when will we get to watch the next Bridgerton love story unfold on Netflix? Well, there's a bit of bittersweet news on that front.

Back in April 2021, Netflix renewed Bridgerton for seasons 3 and 4 following the runaway success of its first season. The double renewal came even before the second season premiered in March 2022. Now that season 3 has completed its run, our sights are set on Bridgerton season 4, but it sounds like we shouldn't hold our breath while we wait for the next chapter to drop on our watch lists.

During the premiere of season 3 part 2, showrunner Jess Brownell talked to The Hollywood Reporter and shared some light teases for season 4. While she didn't give away the season's lead or any other plot details, she confirmed that the show will stay on track with releasing a new season every two years. That means, it's currently unlikely that Bridgerton season 4 will arrive on Netflix in 2025.

Here's what the show's boss said about the long wait:

"We are working to try and put the seasons out more quickly, but they do take eight months to film and then they have to be edited, and then they have to be dubbed into every language. And the writing takes a very long time as well, so we’re kind of on a two-year pace, we’re trying to speed up but somewhere in that range."

- Jess Brownell, showrunner

Brownell also excitedly shared that she feels season 4, which is in the midst of the writing stage, is her best work, as well as the best work of the writers. We're excited, sure, to see what the writing team comes up with for the follow-up to Bridgerton's biggest season yet, but fans are understandably tired of the lengthy wait between seasons. The show has had to face setbacks from the pandemic and dual strikes (though season 3 was finished filming prior to the strikes), but two years sounds like it's just the normal pace for release now. It's a habit Netflix seriously needs to break.

As one user shared on social media, "streaming services literally ruined television a 2 year wait for 8 episodes to be split into two parts is ridiculous be serious there’s no way it should take that long." Alanna Bennett, a writer on Netflix's XO, Kitty, shared her thoughts on the matter, too: "*whispers* if you let shows start filming while the writers finish the later episodes, as has been the way on network TV forever, the wait is a lot shorter AND non-EP writers might actually get the chance to help out on set & produce & properly train."

There are plenty more opinions and takes about this two-years-per-season news, and it's justifiably difficult for viewers to reconcile. Most of us can remember a time when broadcast networks produced 24 episodes or more of scripted television between September and May for multiple shows. (It's still happening!) Of course, producing that much television in a short amount of time isn't always sustainable for the cast and crew; it's long hours and fast-paced work.

It's becoming clear, though, that Netflix's model of creating content is wearing thin with consumers. No one wants to wait two years for a new season. Even waiting one year is a big ask for some viewers. The fact that the streamer prefers to create the entire product before release requires a longer waiting period. As Brownell explained, Bridgerton takes nearly a year to film before the episodes go into editing, dubbing, and other post-production work.

But something has got to give. If the streamer sticks to the plan and adapts all eight Bridgerton books, we will be waiting until — gulp — 2034 for season 8 to finally be released. In terms of how television has historically been released, a show beginning in 2020 and releasing its eighth season 14 years later is unfathomable. Especially a show as popular and well-regarded as Bridgerton. Well, let's all just hold onto season 3's excitement until sometime in 2026.

Stay tuned for more Bridgerton news and updates from Netflix Life!