The Empress Season 3 Set to Premiere on Netflix in Late 2026
The long-awaited third season of The Empress is on the horizon, though fans will need to be patient a bit longer to discover the fates of Sisi and Franz.
Netflix announced today that the German-language period drama’s third season is scheduled for a release in “late 2026.” This timeline indicates that the season will premiere at least 19 months after its initial renewal announcement, with a fourth-quarter launch now appearing likely. This final season will wrap up the series.
The Empress features Devrim Lingnau in the role of Elisabeth “Sisi” von Wittelsbach, the Duchess in Bavaria who ascended to become Empress of Austria in the 19th century. The series chronicles her tumultuous love story with Emperor Franz Joseph I, portrayed by Philip Froissant, amid the political and personal challenges of her era.
According to Netflix’s synopsis for Season 3: “Following the devastating Sardinian War, Emperor Franz returns a traumatized man, burdened by the guilt of losing thousands of young men on the battlefield. Elisabeth strives to help him, fighting passionately for her marriage while also championing what she believes is right for the empire—but to no avail. Resistance at court and her own declining health compel her to leave Vienna and embark on an unexpected adventure. In the six-part finale of this thrilling series, Elisabeth will make a fateful acquaintance that will forever alter her life and the future of Europe.”
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Lingnau and Froissant are joined by a talented cast that includes Melika Foroutan, Johannes Nussbaum, Josephine Thiesen, Runa Greiner, Dejan Bućin, Marlene Burow, Christophe Favre, and Alexander Finkenwirth.
Katharina Eyssen serves as showrunner and executive producer alongside Jochen Laube, Fabian Maubach, Robert Eyssen, Scarlett Lacey, and co-executive producer Lars Gmehling. Eyssen also takes on the head writer role, with support from fellow writers Elena von Saucken. The directing team consists of Florian Cossen and Julia Langhof, while the series features Katharina Bühler and Rik Zang as directors of photography. Gabriela Reumer is responsible for costume design, Jens Bartram oversees hair and make-up, Theresia Anna Ficus is the set designer, and Michal Pokorny serves as the associate producer.
Produced by Sommerhaus Serien, The Empress ranks among Netflix’s most significant European series, with production services provided by MIA Film.
Since its debut, the first two seasons of The Empress have generated over 65 million streams, based on Netflix’s What We Watched reports from July 2023. Season 1, which won an International Emmy, entered the global Netflix Top 10 of non-English shows for five consecutive weeks in 2022, while Season 2 achieved a spot in the Netflix Top 10 in 84 countries in 2024.
