'Lioness' Season 3 gets release window as Genesis Rodriguez teases what's next for Josie and Cruz
Taylor Sheridan's spy thriller 'Lioness' premiered on Paramount+ on July 23, 2023, to a lukewarm reception, but the series turned things around in Season 2, which aired in October 2024. More than a year after the second installment premiered, the action drama series was renewed for Season 3 in August 2025. Now, six months after the announcement, fans have received an exciting update about Season 3 from one of the show's stars, Genesis Rodriguez. She joined Season 2 as a highly trained U.S. Army Black Hawk pilot, Captain Josephina Carrillo, or 'Josie,' who gets recruited into the Lioness program.
On February 25, Rodriguez told The Hollywood Reporter that filming for Season 3 of 'Lioness' is almost done and that it will come out later this year. Speaking of her character, the 38-year-old star confirmed that "she’s obviously back for season three." She added, "You see her in the dynamic within the QRF now, and how she fits into the dynamic now. When you saw her, she was kind of this outsider who wasn’t accepted by the QRF, and now she’s a part of the team." She also shed light on what's in store for Josie and Cruz Manuelos (Laysla De Oliveira), who were romantically linked in Season 2 and called 'Crusie.' Fans can expect some romance in the midst of the intense thrill as Rodriguez confirmed, “Crusie” is still cruising!"
'Lioness' centers on the all-female CIA operatives of the covert Lioness program, which sends undercover agents to infiltrate terrorist organizations as part of the CIA's war on terror. The series highlights the life-threatening work and personal sacrifices of the team members as they try to balance their duty to their country with their family responsibilities. In Season 2, Josie is recruited into the program to help find Congresswoman Hernandez, who was kidnapped by men from the Los Tigres Cartel. As Josie's family is intricately linked to the cartel, she is tasked with infiltrating her own family, for their own safety, adding a complex emotional layer to her story. Furthermore, Force Recon Marine Cruz Manuelos is assigned to be Josie's handler to ensure that she stays on her mission.
The show's star-studded lineup includes Oscar winners Zoe Saldaña as Joe McNamara, Nicole Kidman as Kaitlyn Meade, and Morgan Freeman as Edwin Mullins. 'Lioness' also features Dave Annable as Neal McNamara, Jill Wagner as Bobby, LaMonica Garrett as Tucker, James Jordan as Two Cups, Austin Hébert as Randy, Jonah Wharton as Tex, and more alongside Rodriguez and Oliveira. Season 3 will also see 'Mayor of Kingstown' star Elizaveta Neretin in a recurring role as an international operative who encounters Zoe Saldaña’s character, reported Deadline. Moreover, 'Yellowstone' alum, Ian Bohen, will also appear as a series regular, Grady, “a by-the-book Delta Force operator and primary K9 handler, skilled in battlefield tactics,” Variety noted. Although the release date for Season 3 has not been announced, as of this writing, viewers can catch up on Seasons 1 and 2 of 'Lioness' on Paramount+.
