Abbott Elementary Season 3: Release Date Prediction and Everything to Know

School is (almost) back in session for ABC's class-favorite comedy Abbott Elementary. The Emmy-winning series led by creator Quinta Brunson last aired in April with a season finale that forced some of Abbott's fearless faculty to face their feelings.

During Season 2 finale's sleepover field trip to the Franklin Institute, Janine (Brunson) and Gregory (Tyler James Williams) finally admitted their feelings for each other after kissing at the teacher's conference — and there were no take-backs this time! But it came at a moment when Janine realized she didn't need to be in a relationship and the adorable non-couple decided to remain friends, for now.

As for the other teachers, Jacob (Chris Perfetti) came through for Gregory after he panicked over getting the cold shoulder from Janine before their mutual confessions, and Ava (Janelle James) got terrifyingly honest with the students about aliens. With many of them scared by the revelation, all hell broke loose when they thought there's one in the museum — only to realize it is Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph) wearing a CPAP machine to sleep.

However, Season 3 won't be hitting ABC anytime soon. The five-month Writers Guild of America strike this summer and the ongoing SAG-AFTRA actors strike have put a pause on most productions in Hollywood. In September, the producers of Abbott Elementary, including Brunson, made headlines when they launched a strike fund to help support the show's 152-person crew during the work stoppage. But when will the series be able to begin work again?

Here's everything we know about Abbott Elementary Season 3, including when it might be back and what familiar faces might be returning.

Abbott Elementary Season 3 release date

In a normal year, the new fall season of broadcast television would already be airing and that would have included Season 3 of Abbott Elementary. But the five-month Writer's Guild of America strike this summer (which ended on September 27) and the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike that began in July have pushed the hopes of any new broadcast series returns to an unknown date in the future. Even if the SAG-AFTRA strike is resolved soon, it seems unlikely there will be any new episodes before 2024.

Abbott Elementary Season 3 production updates

According to Abbott Elementary's own Sheryl Lee Ralph, the writers were supposed to begin work on Season 3 on May 3, two days after the Writers Guild of America strike began. During the 146-day strike, nothing was written for the new season. Only after it ended on September 27 did news begin trickling out about when Hollywood writers might return to work. As of Sept. 29, Deadline reported Abbott Elementary would restart its Season 3 writers room the week of Oct. 2.

While writers can start working on the lesson plans for the new season, production on the episodes will not begin until the actors of SAG-AFTRA end their strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Until then, the halls of Abbott Elementary will remain quiet.

Abbott Elementary Season 3 cast

There hasn't been much insight into the new faces that will stop by Abbott in Season 3. It's safe to assume the teachers will be back, including Janine, Gregory, Barbara, Ava, Jacob, and Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter), as well as everyone's favorite custodian, Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis).

The explosive success of the series also brought a number of famous faces to Abbott in Season 2, including Orlando Jones as Gregory's father and Leslie Odom Jr. as someone attempting to turn Abbott into a charter school. However, there are two people in Janine's life that fans would certainly welcome back for a return visit –– her mom Vanetta (played by Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson) and her sister Ayesha (played by Emmy nominee Ayo Edebiri). Both actors left the door open to visit Janine in the future, especially Henson, whose casting was teased as "major." Considering she only appeared in Season 2's penultimate episode, she seems due for more mother-daughter time.

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How to watch Abbott Elementary

Seasons 1 and 2 of Abbott Elementary can be streamed on Hulu and Max. Select episodes can also be streamed on ABC.com.