Fans are wondering if there will be an Altered Carbon Season 3, the cyberpunk Netflix series based on the novel by Richard K. Morgan.
Well, we have some good news and some bad news for you. The good news is that there is still a chance that Altered Carbon Season 3 might happen someday. The bad news is that it won’t be anytime soon, as Netflix has canceled the show after two seasons. But don’t lose hope yet, because there are still some things we know about the potential third season of Altered Carbon, and we are here to share them with you.
How Many Seasons Does Altered Carbon Have?
Altered Carbon has two seasons so far, each consisting of 10 and 8 episodes respectively. The first season was released on February 2, 2018, and starred Joel Kinnaman as Takeshi Kovacs, a former rebel soldier who is revived after 250 years to solve a murder mystery for a wealthy tycoon. The second season was released on February 27, 2020, and starred Anthony Mackie as Kovacs, who is now on a quest to find his lost love, Quellcrist Falconer. Both seasons received generally positive reviews from critics and audiences, praising the show’s visuals, action, and themes.
What is the Ending of Altered Carbon?
The second season of Altered Carbon ended with a shocking twist: Kovacs sacrificed himself to stop a rogue AI named Konrad Harlan from destroying Harlan’s World, the planet where Kovacs was born. However, before he died, he uploaded his stack to a satellite orbiting the planet, hoping that someone would find him and bring him back. Meanwhile, Quellcrist Falconer escaped Harlan’s World with Poe, Kovacs’ loyal AI companion, who restored his memory after being corrupted by a virus. The final scene showed Poe accessing a backup stack of Kovacs that he had secretly stored in his system, implying that there might be two versions of Kovacs alive in the galaxy.
Will there be a Altered Carbon Season 3?
While there will be no official third season of Altered Carbon from Netflix, there is still a possibility that the story of Kovacs and his world will continue in some other form. For one thing, there is still one more novel in Richard K. Morgan’s trilogy that has not been adapted yet: Woken Furies, which follows Kovacs as he returns to Harlan’s World and faces his past. There is also an anime film set in the same universe called Altered Carbon: Resleeved, which was released on March 19, 2020, and tells a standalone story about Kovacs in a different sleeve. Additionally, there are rumors that Netflix might be developing a spin-off series or a movie based on Altered Carbon, but nothing has been confirmed yet.
Is Altered Carbon coming back in 2023?
Unfortunately, no. On August 26, 2020, Netflix announced that it had canceled Altered Carbon after two seasons, citing low viewership and high production costs. This means that there will be no third season of Altered Carbon in 2023 or any other year, unless another network or streaming service decides to pick up the show and revive it. However, this seems unlikely at this point, as Netflix owns the rights to the show and has not expressed any interest in selling them or continuing the story.
Why was Altered Carbon Season 3 canceled?
The sad truth is that Netflix has not officially renewed Altered Carbon for a third season. In fact, according to Deadline, the decision to cancel the show was made in April 2020, just a month after the second season premiered. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show was cancelled due to “unexpected budget increases” caused by the pandemic, as well as “uncertainty” about when it would air and the challenges of managing large casts in the current situation. However, Altered Carbon’s cancellation was not related to coronavirus.
Altered Carbon Season 3 Release Date: Speculation!
Since Netflix has canceled Altered Carbon, there will be no season 3. However, some fans are still holding out hope that the show could be revived by another platform or by Netflix itself. After all, Altered Carbon is based on a trilogy of novels by Richard K. Morgan, and there is still one book left to adapt: Woken Furies. Plus, Netflix did release an anime spin-off called Altered Carbon: Resleeved in March 2020, which shows that there is still some interest in the franchise.
If Altered Carbon Season 3 ever happens, arriving could take a while. The first season debuted in February 2018, and the second season followed in February 2020. However, if season 3 is announced this year, We could expect Altered Carbon Season 3 to land sometime in 2024 or later.
Altered Carbon Season 3 Plot: What’s next?
The plot of Altered Carbon Season 3 is hard to predict, since the show has deviated from the books in many ways. However, we can try to guess based on how season 2 ended and what Woken Furies is about.
At the end of season 2, we saw Takeshi Kovacs sacrifice himself to stop his evil twin from unleashing a weapon that could destroy all life in the galaxy. However, before he died, he uploaded a backup of his consciousness to a virtual construct called Sanctuary. Meanwhile, his ally Quellcrist Falconer escaped with a new body and a new mission: to find out who created the Elders, the ancient aliens whose technology enabled human immortality.
In Woken Furies, Kovacs returns to his home planet of Harlan’s World, where he joins a rebel group fighting against a corrupt regime. He also encounters a younger version of himself from his days as an Envoy soldier. Meanwhile, Falconer is also on Harlan’s World, leading a revolution against the ruling elite.
It’s possible that Altered Carbon Season 3 could follow a similar storyline, or it could introduce new characters and settings. The show has already shown that it can change its lead actor and location every season, so anything is possible.
Altered Carbon Season 3 Cast: Who will be in?
One of the unique features of Altered Carbon is that the main character can change his appearance depending on the sleeve he inhabits. In season 1, Kovacs was played by Joel Kinnaman, while in season 2, he was played by Anthony Mackie. Both actors did a great job of portraying Kovacs’ personality and skills, but who will play him in season 3?
Unfortunately, we don’t have an answer yet. Netflix has not confirmed if Altered Carbon will be renewed for a third season, so we don’t know who will be cast as Kovacs or any other character. However, some fans have speculated that Kovacs could return to his original sleeve, which was briefly seen in season 1 and played by Will Yun Lee. Lee also voiced Kovacs in the anime spin-off Altered Carbon: Resleeved, which was released in March 2020.
As for the other characters, it’s hard to say who will be back. Season 2 ended with some major deaths and twists, which could affect the fate of some fan favorites. For example:
- Quellcrist Falconer (Renée Elise Goldsberry), Kovacs’ lover and leader of the rebellion against the oppressive regime, sacrificed herself to stop an alien virus from spreading across the galaxy. However, she also uploaded her stack to a satellite before she died, so there’s a chance she could be revived somehow.
- Poe (Chris Conner), Kovacs’ loyal AI companion and hotel owner, sacrificed himself to save Kovacs and his friends from Jaeger’s attack. However, he also backed up his memory before he died, so there’s a chance he could be restored somehow.
- Trepp (Simone Missick), a bounty hunter and ally of Kovacs, survived the season finale and decided to stay on Harlan’s World with her family. She could return for season 3 if she gets involved in another mission with Kovacs.
- Danica Harlan (Lela Loren), the governor of Harlan’s World and daughter of Konrad Harlan, the founder of the planet, was killed by her father after he revealed himself to be alive and behind the alien virus plot. She won’t be back for season 3 unless she had a backup stack somewhere.
- Jaeger (Torben Liebrecht), Kovacs’ former mentor and nemesis, who trained him as an elite soldier called an Envoy, was killed by Kovacs after a brutal fight. He won’t be back for season 3 unless he had a backup stack somewhere.
Where can to Watch Altered Carbon?
You can watch Altered Carbon on Netflix. The show is exclusive to the streaming platform, and you can binge-watch both seasons and the anime spin-off anytime you want.
Altered Carbon Season 3 Trailer: Is there a teaser?
Since Netflix has not renewed Altered Carbon for a third season yet, there is no trailer or teaser available at the moment. However, if the show does get picked up for another season, we can expect a trailer to drop a few months before its release date.
Similar Shows Like Altered Carbon
If you love Altered Carbon, you might be looking for more shows that combine sci-fi, action, and mystery. Here are some similar shows that you can binge-watch next:
- The Expanse: A space opera set in a future where humans have colonized the solar system. Follows a ragtag crew of rebels, detectives, and politicians as they unravel a conspiracy that threatens the balance of power and the fate of humanity.
- Westworld: Is a dark and twisted drama exploring the nature of consciousness and free will. Set in a futuristic theme park where guests can live out their fantasies with lifelike androids, but things go horribly wrong when some of the hosts start to rebel against their creators.
- Black Mirror: A anthology series that examines the dark side of technology and how it affects society. Each episode tells a standalone story that explores the potential consequences of our digital habits, from social media to virtual reality.
- Stranger Things: A nostalgic homage to the 80s, this show follows a group of kids who discover a mysterious girl with telekinetic powers and a portal to another dimension. They must face sinister forces and government agents while trying to find their missing friend.
- Orphan Black: A thrilling and addictive show that centers on a woman who discovers she is one of many clones. She joins forces with her fellow clones to uncover the truth behind their origin and fight against the enemies who want to control them.