Only Murders in the Building season 3 is almost here, and we would know — we've already watched it all. Check out our Only Murders In The Building season 3 review to learn what we think about it.
The true crime-sendup series will return with the main trio — played by Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez — once again embroiled in a murder mystery involving Meryl Streep and fellow newbie Paul Rudd, who made a surprise cameo at the end of the season 2 finale as Broadway actor Ben Glenroy.
Only Murders in the Building made an unlikely team out of a retired actor, a failed Broadway director and an aimless young woman. The first season was the most-watched original comedy in Hulu's history and earned 14 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series.
At the start, they investigated and solved the killing of their neighbor Tim Kono. Next, the trio worked to clear their names as suspects in the death of building board president Bunny Folger.
After a year time jump, they're drawn into another murder with personal ties. Here's everything we know so far about Only Murders in the Building season 3.
Only Murders in the Building season 3 release date
Hulu has set the Only Murders in the Building season 3 release date for Tuesday, August 8.
The streamer renewed the show for a third season last July, just a few weeks after season 2 debuted.
We can make an educated guess about the Only Murders in the Building season 3 release date based on the schedule of the first two seasons. Season 1 premiered Aug. 31, 2021 and ran until Oct. 19, 2021. Season 2 premiered June 28, 2022 and ended on Aug. 23.
Based on those previous air dates, we think Season 3 is likely to air this summer, possibly premiering in June 2023.
Only Murders in the Building season 3 teaser trailer
In the first teaser trailer for Only Murders in the Building season 3, Martin Short incredulously wonders, "Is this really happening again?" in reference to the death of one of his actors on stage. As Selena Gomez wryly notes, "Who are we without a homicide?"
But the bulk of the teaser is devoted to new cast member Meryl Streep.
Only Murders in the Building season 3 cast
The cast of Only Murders in the Building season 3 will be helmed by its three leads: Steve Martin as Charles-Haden Savage, a semi-retired actor; Martin Short as Oliver Putnam, a struggling Broadway director; and Selena Gomez as Mabel Mora, a young woman with artistic ambitions. All three live in the Arconia building.
They will be joined by Paul Rudd as Ben Glenroy, an actor who perishes on stage during Oliver's latest production. Co-creator John Hoffman told Variety, “Paul Rudd, after making an auspicious entrance into the world of our show at the end of Season 2 as Ben Glenroy, is someone we clearly want to know more about and see in our upcoming Season 3 — as he is a clear source of many upcoming questions and, as ever with our show, many twists yet to come!"
Meryl Streep is also on board Only Murders in the Building season 3, as revealed by various social media posts:
The filming of Season 3 of “Only Murders in the Building” has begun! A cast to dream of. pic.twitter.com/mvMkJknoEkJanuary 17, 2023
They may be joined by:
- Andrea Martin as Joy, Charles' makeup artist and girlfriend
- Zoe Colletti as Lucy, Charles' quasi-stepdaughter
- Cara Delevingne as Alice Banks, an art gallery director and Mabel's love interest
- Ryan Broussard as Will Putnam, Oliver's son
- Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Detective Williams
- Tina Fey as Cinda Canning, a true crime podcast host
- Nathan Lane as Teddy Dimas
- James Caverly as Theo Dimas
- Jane Lynch as Sazz Pataki, Charles' former stunt double
- Michael Cyril Creighton as Howard Morris, a building resident
- Jackie Hoffman as Uma Heller, a building resident
- Christine Ko as Nina Lin, the Arconia's new board president
- Teddy Coluca as Lester, the building's doorman
Only Murders in the Building season 3 is is also adding Jesse Williams (Grey’s Anatomy) and Ashley Park (Emily in Paris) in undisclosed roles.
And as in previous seasons, major stars may make cameos as themselves, as we've seen with Sting, Amy Schumer and Jimmy Fallon.
Only Murders in the Building season 3 plot and season 2 finale explained
In the Only Murders in the Building season 2 finale, Mabel figures out that Bunny's killer is Poppy White, a.k.a Becky Butler (with an assist from Detective Kreps). Turns out, Cinda's meek assistant has been playing a long con. She basically pulled a Gone Girl on herself, taking on a new identity so that she could fake Becky's murder and pitch a podcast about it to Cinda. That podcast, All Is Not OK in Oklahoma, became a sensation and the thing that Mabel, Oliver and Charles bonded over.
Poppy wanted Cinda's next podcast to investigate the missing artist Rose Cooper but once again needed a murder to make her pitch juicier. After somehow discovering Bunny had Rose's painting, she and Kreps conspired to kill her and frame Mabel.
The trio reveal what they know at a party attended by former suspects like Alice, Howard and Uma. When Mabel pretends to accuse Alice of murdering Bunny, Alice pretends to stab Charles. Cinda, acting impressed, offers Mabel a podcast. Infuriated, Poppy confesses to her crimes.
A year passes, during which there are no murders. Oliver is directing a play on Broadway that stars Charles, now dating his makeup artist Joy. His co-star is Ben Glenroy, but the two seem to be at odds. Backstage, Charles warns Ben, "Stay away from her."
Mabel joins Joy and Lucy in the audience, and Oliver arrives to sit with them. When the curtain rises, Ben begins a monologue — only to cough up blood and collapse.
Season 3 will obviously dig into Ben's death. Normally, we'd chalk it up to murder, considering the show's title. But then again, it didn't happen in the Arconia. As TVLine notes, maybe the murder just has to take place in any building.
"That is an assumption you can make, absolutely," Hoffman teased. "That is a central question… and I am excited to have an answer.
As for the season 3's themes, Hoffman told Variety, "We’re obviously making a leap into the theater, and around Oliver being a little bit more central in the emotional arc. It’s his Broadway return, and that tethers out for all of them into a question of success — at what cost?"
He added, "What happens at the end of season 2 begs the question: Are these three people cursed to forever have death around them? And we’re just four weeks into our writers’ room for season 3, but there are lovely romantic possibilities happening that ask certain questions. Are you able to commit, or should you be committed? The idea of commitment making you crazy."
Hoffman also previewed how season 3 will present a different, changed Mabel. "One of the headlines is, there’s brightness… a different color. She has, over the last two seasons, been able to sort of take that shawl of heaviness off of her a bit," he told TVLine. "There are certain new pressures ahead of her, and questions that she is asking herself about her own life, but she’s got a much more optimistic viewpoint."
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