'Designated Survivor' season 3: Release, plot, cast and everything you need to know about the political thriller

The official trailer sees President Tom Kirkman tackle new issues and getting ready to fight dirty to retain his seat in the Oval Office

'Designated Survivor' is back and so is Kiefer Sutherland as President Tom Kirkman. Starting off as an unassuming Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, a massive terror attack on the State of the Union address in Washington sees him as the Designated Survivor, the highest ranking politician in the country.

The political thriller drama was renewed for a third season and finds a new home in Netflix, which announced the show as a "Global Netflix Original", after ABC canceled the show after two seasons, which does come a bit of a surprise since the first season saw the show being named the "Most Exciting TV Series" by TV Guide in 2016, and season 2 garnered some great ratings following a gripping plotline and a solid performance by the cast.

In the second season,  President Kirkman addresses an earthquake crisis and also announces that he will run for re-election as an Independent soon after Ethan West, the special prosecutor (Michael J Fox), hands him a note.

Netflix released a new teaser trailer that gives us a glimpse of what Kirkman and his team will be up against. Here's what we know about season 3 so far.

For Tom Kirkman, the fight has just begun. (IMDb)

Release

'Designated Survivor' season 3 is set to premiere on Netflix on June 7 this year.

Plot

The second season had an obscure ending and it was a given that there would be a third season. Netflix's official synopsis stated: "President Kirkman will face a political reality… campaigning. What does it take to make a leader? What price will he be willing to pay? This season will explore today's world of campaigning, smear tactics, debates, campaign finance, and 'fake news'. Democracy, as we know it, will hang in the balance."

Cast

Kiefer Sutherland will return as President Tom Kirkman. He will be joined by Kal Penn (Seth Wright), Adan Canto (Aaron Shore) and Italia Ricci (Emily Rhodes) and Maggie Q (Hannah Wells) who all played instrumental roles in the second season of the show.

Director/Writer

Created by David Guggenheim, Neal Baer will serve as the series showrunner for 2019.

Trailer



 

The opening sequence of the trailer shows Kirkman wondering if he has screwed up his re-election campaign while also giving a glimpse of his running mate. We also see Hannah (Maggie Q)  being offered an opportunity to work with the CIA while Seth (Kal Penn) is shown to be irate about the state of journalism in the pressroom. The 2.20-minute trailer also sheds light on Italia Ricci advising Kirkman over various matters. 

There is a lot to process in the first full trailer of  'Designated Survivor'. Check out the trailer above.

Will Kirkman be able to inspire and instill confidence in the American people just like he did earlier, or will he face an uphill battle in his quest to do what is right? Watch this space for more updates on the third season of 'Designated Survivor'.

If you have an entertainment scoop or a story for us, please reach out to us on (323) 421-7515

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Boone and Mickey's relationship gets complicated with Emmy's arrival in 'Sheriff Country'
2026-11-14T04:43:33.000Z
Benson reunites with the detective as the SVU squad investigates an assault involving a police officer
2026-11-14T04:25:17.000Z
Chris Colfer has opened up about a possible return to the world of 'Glee', sharing early ideas about Kurt Hummel's future
2026-11-14T03:27:07.000Z
With Season 8 set to premiere in 2027, the Netflix drama has already secured another chapter, with its first seven seasons already attracting more than 500 million views worldwide
2026-11-13T15:48:34.000Z
Ewan McGregor joins Claire Danes in the A24 thriller, which also stars Daveed Diggs and explores how a suspected hit-and-run threatens a marriage
2026-11-13T12:59:20.000Z
‘Happy’s Place’ Season 3 casts ‘Desperate Housewives’ star James Denton as Reba McEntire’s new love interest
2026-11-13T08:12:36.000Z
An unexpected rash turned out to be measles that might have been fatal for one character.
2026-11-13T07:46:24.000Z
Pavi and Nisha will follow separate paths before their journeys bring them back together in Book 2
2026-11-13T04:46:57.000Z
Mariska Hargitay’s reported ‘SVU’ paycheck includes acting and producing, while her estimated wealth reflects a career spanning more than four decades.
2026-11-12T20:43:49.000Z
'Marshals' Season 2 introduces a Texas cowgirl who joins Kayce Dutton at East Camp to help establish an equine therapy program.
2026-11-12T20:24:16.000Z