Netflix has confirmed that Australian drama series Heartbreak High will return for a third season next year, which will conclude the story.
Season 3 is currently in production, with showrunner Hanna Carrol Chapman and producer Sarah Freeman still spearheading the series.
Netflix released a first-look image for the new season, which shows the cast gathering together in the school yard.
The season 3 cast includes regulars Ayesha Madon as Amerie Wadia, Asher Yasbincek as Harper McLean, James Majoos as Darren Rivers, Chloé Hayden as Quinni Gallagher-Jones, Will McDonald as Douglas ‘Cas$h’ Piggott, plus further supporting cast.
ScreenHub: Heartbreak High Season 2, Netflix review: tension and detention
What is Heartbreak High Season 3 about?
The series itself is a ‘soft’ reboot (translation: re-imagined) of Ten’s 1994 teen drama Heartbreak High. As before, it follows the students and teachers of Hartley High as they navigate racial tensions in Australia, high school romances, and all sorts of teen angst – but with plenty of modern twists and up-to-date lingo.
While the previous season left on a cliffhanger after the school was set on fire and Malakai left Australia for Switzerland, Netflix has only revealed the following logline: ‘In Season 3, it’s time for Hartley High’s graduating class to say “goodbye” to school, and “hello” to adulthood! Yet when a revenge prank goes horribly wrong, Amerie and her friends must cover up their secret or risk losing everything.’
Netflix also release a short behind-the-scenes teaser, which you can watch on its official Instagram account.
Heartbreak High: production details
Produced by Fremantle Australia and NewBe, Heartbreak High Season 3 will stream globally on Netflix and joins the platform’s growing slate of Australian films and shows, including the recently released Territory, Boy Swallows Universe, Wellmania, Surviving Summer and more.
Season 2 of Heartbreak High was one of Australia’s Top 10 TV shows on Netflix after its 11 April 2024 premiere. It also stayed on the ‘Global Top 10 English TV Series’ list on Netflix for three weeks (hitting #5, #7, #9 and gaining over 47.8M viewing hours in those three weeks). Season 2 was also among the Top 10 shows in over 53 countries on Netflix – across the UK, Europe, Africa and Asia.
In 2023 the series won an International Emmy award for Best Kids: Live Action series, and actor Thomas Weatherall won the Logie Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor. It also won three Audience Choice Awards at the 2022 AACTA Awards.
Heartbreak High is executive produced by Carly Heaton and Megan Palinkas (who also serves as writer), and co-produced by Anna Curtis.
Heartbreak High – Season 3 is expected to premiere on Netflix in 2025.
Previously on Heartbreak High…
Our reviewer Anthony Morris wrote about the series: ‘The first season of Netflix’s reboot of the 90s classic (itself based on a feature film) walked a fine line between the Aussie charm of the original and the increasingly international nature of sexual politics and identities. Comparisons to sexed-up overseas series like Euphoria and Sex Education were inevitable – and why shouldn’t Australians have their own take on youth gone wild?’
‘Season 2 opens with the line, ‘We all want to be the hero of our own story’. Unfortunately, it’s said over images of students running screaming from a burning hall, the now crumbling site of the Year 11 formal. Amerie (Ayesha Madon) and bestie Harper (Asher Yasbincek) are missing. Looks like a clash of heroes and villains has got seriously out of hand.’
‘Renewing Heartbreak High for its final season is a major point of pride for us at Netflix,’ said Netflix Director of Content ANZ Que Minh Luu. ‘It has been a joy to work with the utterly cooked creative minds behind our favourite Aussie YA show and to bring our stories, our culture and our in-jokes to all the fans here at home and throughout the world. See you at muck up day.’
‘We are beyond excited to all come together again as we love existing in the craziness of Hartley High,’ said Carly Heaton, Fremantle Head of Scripted. ‘We aimed to create a show where Aussie young people are seen and heard and we are completely overwhelmed by the worldwide reaction to the stories of these characters. All of us who work on the series are grateful to have the opportunity to see what kind of mess evolves in season three.’
