‘Lioness’ Season 4 might just be happening as cast teases cliffhanger finale
‘Lioness’ is setting up an unresolved Season 3 ending that could determine the future of the Paramount+ series. Season 3 finale may not provide the closure viewers expect. Cast members have teased a cliffhanger, a curveball and more story to come as Joe McNamara continues searching for the person behind her abduction. For now, Paramount+ has not officially renewed Taylor Sheridan’s series for Season 4. However, comments from Laysla De Oliveira and James Jordan indicate that the September 20 finale, titled ‘The Unravelling,’ will leave at least one storyline unresolved.
De Oliveira, who plays Cruz Manuelos, confirmed the nature of the ending in an interview with TV Insider. “It’s definitely a cliffhanger,” she said. The actor was also surprised that Joe’s rescue happened in Episode 7, leaving another full episode to follow. “I felt the same way when I was reading the scripts. I was like, ‘Well, we did it. We got her. Now what?’” she said. “Which is why it makes sense that it ends on a cliffhanger because there is more to come.” Her comment does not confirm another season, but it suggests that the finale will not close every part of the story.
Jordan, who plays Two Cups, offered another warning about what viewers can expect. He said the cast had a strong reaction when they first received the finale script. “Let me tell you this: It will leave your jaw on the floor. When we, as actors, got that episode, I think we were on set, and literally, we all went, ‘No. Whoa!’ I mean, it comes out of left field. It’s a total curveball, but boy, it makes so much sense… You want to talk about a watercooler moment? We’re gonna have that,” Jordan told TV Insider.
Joe’s abduction+ remains central to the story heading into the finale. After escaping her captors in Episode 7, she initially planned to return to Neal and their daughters. When she reached the family home, however, she asked Bobby to keep driving so she could identify and kill the person responsible. At the same time, Kaitlyn Meade, Byron Westfield and Edwin Mullins began considering whether Ukrainian intelligence officer Oleksandra Balakin had arranged the operation. That remains a theory within the series, and the finale will reveal whether Oleksandra was involved or if Jordan’s promised curveball points elsewhere.
Joe’s decision also leaves her family storyline unsettled. Her work has now placed the family in direct danger, while Neal has spent much of the season waiting to learn whether she would return alive. If the series continues, the consequences of Joe choosing the mission instead of going home could shape Season 4. No cast members have been confirmed for another season. Depending on the finale’s outcome, Zoe Saldaña, Nicole Kidman, Morgan Freeman, Michael Kelly and De Oliveira would be among the principal cast members expected to return.
Dave Annable, Jill Wagner, LaMonica Garrett, Jordan, Genesis Rodriguez, Austin Hébert, Jonah Wharton, Thad Luckinbill, Hannah Love Lanier and Ian Bohen could also remain part of the ensemble. Until Paramount+ announces its decision, 'Lioness' Season 4 remains unconfirmed. The finale’s cliffhanger should provide a clearer indication of where the CIA drama could go next.
