WARNING: Contains spoilers for The Orville season 3!With The Orville‘s season 3 finale on Disney+, attention turns to the series’ potential for a season 4 — here are the latest The Orville season 4 updates. Seth MacFarlane’s sci-fi dramedy made the move from Fox to Hulu for season 3, eventually returning to screens after several delays caused by the Coronavirus pandemic and shifting television schedules. Renamed The Orville: New Horizons, the show has dialed down the comedy to become a more mature and politically astute show. It’s hoped that the cast and crew will be able to build on the successes of The Orville season 3 by producing a follow-up season.
Disappointingly for viewers and show creatives, the future of The Orville is currently in doubt. At the time of writing, there are no future episodes in development as all three seasons of The Orville released on Disney+. As the creator of Family Guy, which was canceled after three seasons, Seth MacFarlane is no stranger to surviving cancelation. Family Guy‘s popularity in syndicated repeats and DVD sales ensured that the show returned to Fox. As a result, a similar demonstration of The Orville‘s popularity on both Hulu and Disney+ could secure the show’s future. Here are the latest The Orville season 4 updates.
The Latest The Orville Season 4 News
As of 2023, the latest The Orville season 4 updates haven’t shown that the series has been renewed for another installment. However, updates from creator Seth MacFarlane and actor Chad L. Coleman (Klyden) remain hopeful. In a March interview, Coleman shared an optimistic update about The Orville season 4, stating that he believed the next chapter was in the cards, despite things being “up in the air.” Coleman also added that MacFarlane has a good relationship with Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment Dana Walden, saying, “And they said they’ve had promising meetings, so we’ll see.”
Seth MacFarlane also has high hopes for The Orville season 4’s commission. In an interview with TVLine, the creator stated that he believed the odds for a season 4 renewal are about “50-50“. However, he did mention that there was some “trickiness” involved. The actor’s contracts expired after season 3, which means that they would all need to be re-signed if season 4 were to be greenlit. However, the latest The Orville season 4 updates from MacFarlane suggest that the actors won’t be the biggest hurdle. Despite this, MacFarlane relayed in a tweet that he remains “cautiously optimistic.“
The Orville Season 4 Is Not Confirmed
Speaking at San Diego Comic-Con, Seth MacFarlane said that The Orville season 4 has not yet been commissioned, and the latest The Orville season 4 updates state the same, making season 3 an unofficial final season. He stated that a decision on The Orville season 4 would depend on the show’s popularity on Disney+. It’s therefore unlikely for a decision to be made on the show’s future until long after The Orville season 3’s ending.
The Orville Season 4 Release Date Prediction
Unfortunately, the latest The Orville season 4 updates don’t include a release date, since the series hasn’t been renewed yet. The answer to the question of The Orville season 4’s release date lies in the season 3 finale’s episode title. Appropriately titled “Future Unknown,” it ends with a song by Gordon about enjoying the passage of time. The song feels appropriate, given the three-year gap between The Orville season 2 finale and its season 3 premiere.
While the pandemic had a role to play in the delays, the shift from Fox to Hulu presumably also played a part. Given the lack of contracted cast members and The Orville‘s uncertain future, the best-case scenario is that there will be a similarly large gap between seasons 3 and 4, but if the series were renewed soon, it’s possible episodes could start airing as early as 2024. Many believe that The Orville needs season 4, but the worst-case scenario is that The Orville season 3 is the last one, and if that’s the case, then the answer to the question of the show’s future will be answered much sooner.
The Orville Season 4 Cast: Who Could Return
The Orville‘s creator, Seth MacFarlane, is the only cast member guaranteed to come back for The Orville season 4. The latest The Orville season 4 updates put the show’s future in doubt. The entire cast was released from their contracts when filming wrapped in August 2021. It’s obviously not impossible for these contracts to be re-negotiated if and when The Orville season 4 is commissioned, but the cast’s freedom to pursue new projects could complicate such discussions. Scott Grimes, who plays Gordon Malloy in The Orville, could potentially return for season 4, given his continuing relationship with Seth MacFarlane via a role in his upcoming Ted TV show.
However, the newest The Orville season 4 updates insinuate that Seth MacFarlane isn’t necessarily worried about the actors renegotiating their contracts. This means The Orville season 4 could also see the return of Commander Kelly Grayson (Adrianne Palicki), Dr. Claire Finn (Penny Johnson), Lieutenant Commander Bortus (Peter Macon), Lieutenant Commander John LaMarr (J. Lee), Isaac (Mark Jackson), Klyman (Chad L. Coleman), Lieutenant Commander Talla Keyali (Jessica Szohr), and Lysella (Giorgia Whigham). The only cast member to be left out is Ensign Charly Burke (Anne Winters), who sacrificed herself to save Isaac.
The Orville Season 4 Story: What Does Season 3 Set Up?
The Orville made peace with their Borg-like Kaylon enemies in season 3’s penultimate episode, so the Kaylons will be the Union’s allies in The Orville season 4. The main threat for any future season of The Orville would likely be the Krill/Moclan alliance, the partnership of two species who are essentially The Orville‘s versions of Star Trek‘s Cardassians and Klingons. After peaceful negotiations with the Krill broke down with the election of an extremist candidate and the Moclan’s expulsion from the Union for their bigotry, the two races banded together.
The Orville season 3 explored the personal and emotional impact of the Kaylon war on android Isaac and Moclan bigotry of Bortus’ family. A fraught political situation with the Krill and Moclans would provide rich material for future stories in The Orville season 4. Ed’s half-Krill daughter and Bortus, Klyden, and Topa’s Moclan origins would be similarly impacted by galactic events, further exploring The Orville‘s new thematic horizons in season 4.
The Orville Season 4 Trailer
Unfortunately, The Orville season 4 updates don’t include a trailer. Since The Orville hasn’t been renewed for a fourth installment, filming on the chapter has not begun, and, therefore, there is no promotional footage to speak of. However, MacFarlane is optimistic about The Orville‘s renewal, so it’s possible that another season could be confirmed soon.