In 2021, Sex and the City fans were delighted to be back sipping Cosmopolitans, traipsing across New York City, and experiencing the highs and lows of love once again with Carrie Bradshaw, Charlotte Yorke, and Miranda Hobbes when Max launched the official companion series And Just Like That... The show created by Michael Patrick King, who helmed the franchise's two movies, reunited the iconic metropolitan gal pals (sans Samantha) as they navigated life in their 50s, with Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis, and Cynthia Nixon reprising their roles.
While the spinoff has its (many) quirks, audiences were so charmed to be back with the iconic TV characters that AJLT returned for a second season, which continued to see Carrie open herself up to love following the death of her husband Mr. Big, a.k.a. John Preston (Chris Noth). Fate led her back to her ex-fiancé Aidan Shaw (John Corbett)—and debates that have ensued for decades over who Carrie belongs with resumed.
It's since been confirmed that the Carrie-Aidan-will-they-won't-they is set to continue, as AJLT was picked up for season 3 once season 2 wrapped up in August 2023. Before fans can be back gabbing over lunch with their favorite New Yorkers, we're breaking down everything we know about AJLT season 3.
When will 'And Just Like That' season 3 be released?
It won't be until 2025 when we're strolling the streets of Manhattan with Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, and co. Max confirmed the tentative And Just Like That release date when they released a promo video for their 2024/2025 slate in late 2023. The teaser revealed season 3 of the Sex and the City follow-up, as well as other highly anticipated titles like White Lotus season 3 and The Last of Us season 2, wouldn't return until next year.
No specific premiere date has been announced, but the series is currently in production. In May 2024, photos of Parker on set and in character as Carrie—wearing everything from a contemporary take on her iconic tutu look to oversized hats and Dr. Scholl's sandals—were captured and surfaced online. With season 3 filming likely through the first couple months of summer, it wouldn't be too far off to guess new episodes would hit streaming in early 2025.
Who will return in 'And Just Like That' Season 3?
The beloved besties who originated in Sex and the City—Carrie, Charlotte, and Miranda—and the core of the show will of course be back. You can bet that a handful of new additions to their circle of friends will also be back: Lisa Todd Wexley (Nicole Ari Parker) and Seema Patel (Sarita Choudhury).
Along with the gal pals, it seems likely that their families and longtime, close friends will appear, including Anthony Marentino (Mario Cantone), Charlotte's husband Harry Goldenblatt (Evan Handler), and their children Lily (Cathy Ang) and Rock (Alexa Swinton), and Lisa's husband Herbert Wexley (Chris Jackson). While Miranda and Steve (David Eigenberg) are no longer together, he'll probably still appear, given how much her relationship with her son Brady (Niall Cunningham) has become a focus of the show.
Aidan fans can also rest easy: John Corbett was already spotted on set, so he'll be back. Season 2 saw the former flame give their relationship a go again, and ended with them committing to trying long distance, as Aidan revealed that he needed to return to Virginia to be with his son. With him filming new episodes, it seems like he'll be making at least one NYC visit to see Carrie.
There are a few names that definitely won't be back. In February 2024, months before the show moved into production in early May, Variety reported that Sara Ramírez, who played Miranda's romantic interest and nonbinary comedian Che Diaz, won't be returning. It hasn't been announced why exactly Che—the subject of much criticism in online chatter surrounding the show—will no longer be a part of AJLT. Although, sources told Variety that the character "had reached a natural conclusion, since their relationship with Miranda had ended."
Nya Wallace, Miranda's professor-turned-friend and another AJLT-originated character, won't be featured in season 3 either. Karen Pittman, who played the fan-favorite new addition, was confirmed by Deadline as unable to return due to scheduling conflicts in March 2024.
Have any new cast members joined the 'And Just Like That' season 3 cast?
There is at least one special guest star in season 3. In early May, comedy icon and TV personality Rosie O'Donnell announced on Instagram that she had joined the cast as a character named Mary. She posted a photo of the teleplay for the first episode of the season, titled "Outlook Good," and captioned the post, "here comes mary #andjustlikethat @hbo."
No other details are available about Mary, or whether other new faces will appear in the upcoming season. But given O'Donnell's caliber and how many other new characters have filled out And Just Like That, we'd bet more will be announced in the coming weeks.
What will 'And Just Like That' season 3 be about?
Going into season 3, there are certainly stories to continue for some characters like Carrie, and new avenues to explore for others.
One of season 3's central plotlines will certainly revolve around Carrie and Aidan's rekindling. While the couple (who was once engaged) got back together last season now that Aidan's divorced, he admitted that he needed five years to fully commit because he felt compelled to return to Virginia to raise his children. Meaning, they'll now have to tackle long distance.
While speaking with Variety following the season 2 finale, creator/showrunner Michael Patrick King spoke about the status of Carrie and Aidan going into season 3. He said, "It gives us more story. It gives us an open end. It gives us a complicated problem. It gives us space. It gives Carrie a big thing to think about, you know what I mean?"
He added, "What it gives us is a problem that we have to figure out: how Carrie Bradshaw finds her way through this to love."
Before Aidan told Carrie he needed to return to Virginia, she had promised to move out of her home of many decades on the Upper East Side for him since he felt he could never reenter the space, given their history there. While he did set foot in the space to tell her his realization about needing to go back to Virgina and Carrie's since decided to hold onto the space, her big gesture seems as if she doesn't want to ruin their partnership this time. Distance of course could change that.
In fact, it seems very possible that a bit of rockiness is on the horizon for the love birds. When Corbett was spotted filming AJLT season 3 in May, fans captured footage that they shared on social media of Aidan yelling outside of Carrie's brownstone. In the brief clip, he yells up to her window before picking up what looks like a travel duffle bag and storming up the stairs. For longtime fans of the franchise, it's giving déjà vu.
Miranda, meanwhile, is single again, after pursuing a divorce with Steve and calling things off for good with Che. The show has been committed to exploring her coming-out story, so perhaps she'll be open to meeting new people while co-parenting Brady with Steve.
Charlotte is also back to work for the first time in years, Seema is in a new relationship with Marvel filmmaker Ravi (Armin Amiri), and Lisa recently reached a new career high with her documentary filmmaker and is dealing with the fallout of a miscarriage.
Will Samantha ever get her own 'Sex and the City' spinoff?
If fans didn't miss Kim Cattrall's Samantha enough already, her cameo in the season 2 finale of AJLT was even more of a reminder of how much we love her—and how no one will ever replace her. After the series explained Samantha's absence because she and Carrie had a falling out and she moved to London, the two reconciled following the unexpected death of Mr. Big by exchanging text messages and, at the end of season 2, she appeared in an on-screen scene. Samantha returned ever so briefly as she called Carrie from a cab to send her well wishes after her flight was canceled so she could no longer make it to the send-off dinner that she was hosting before moving out of her Upper East Side home of many decades. She spoke in a British accent—a la Annabelle Bronstein, her alter ego from the original series—and made fans everywhere laugh and cry.
While a minute-long scene was enough to make fans clamor for more, it doesn't seem like we'll see additional Samantha scenes. While speaking to Variety following the season 2 finale, King said of her cameo, "I really thought it was a little treat, and I would never build any expectations on more."
Fans have also been curious whether Samantha could have her own show. We'd certainly love to witness Sam Jones' sexcapades and fabulous lifestyle across the pond, but Cattrall has been adamant for nearly a decade about how she no longer wants to play the outspoken publicist. For now, we'll have to take any witty text exchange between Carrie and Samantha on AJLT that we can get.
