No, Hijack Season 3 has not been officially confirmed by Apple TV+. As of early 2026, the streamer has yet to greenlight a third installment. Season 2 only premiered on January 14, 2026, and Apple typically waits until a full season finishes airing before making renewal calls. Creator Jim Field Smith has expressed openness to continuing but stopped well short of confirming anything is in development.
Watching both seasons back to back, it becomes obvious this show is built on a very specific formula that requires genuine creative rethinking each time around. The real-time pressure cooker format is harder to pull off than it looks, and Field Smith clearly does not rush these decisions. That measured pace is actually what makes the show feel intentional rather than factory-produced.
Why Has Apple TV+ Not Renewed It Yet?
Apple evaluates viewership data, completion rates, and audience engagement before committing to renewals. Season 2 only dropped on January 14, 2026, with the finale expected in early March 2026. That is a very short window. Historically, Apple announced the Season 2 renewal on January 31, 2024, roughly five months after the Season 1 finale aired on August 2, 2023. Following that same timeline, a Season 3 decision likely would not come before mid to late 2026.
What Has the Creator Said About Season 3?
Creator and executive producer Jim Field Smith told TV Insider in January 2026 that he needed to finish making Season 2 before even thinking about what comes next. His exact stance was to take a total break before anyone asked him anything. That is not a shutdown, but it is also not enthusiasm. The more telling signal is that he described Sam Nelson as a character who could realistically stumble into another worst day of his life, which is about as close to a creative pitch as you can get without calling it one.
What Would Season 3’s Setting Be?
No setting has been confirmed, but the show follows a very deliberate transport vehicle escalation. Season 1 was a commercial flight from Dubai to London running in real time across seven hours. Season 2 moved to Berlin’s U-Bahn underground rail network, compressing the geography and raising the urban stakes. The next logical move in that pattern is a maritime setting, likely a large commercial vessel or ferry. A boat would offer the same sealed, escape-proof environment the show depends on while introducing open-water isolation as a new pressure variable.
Who Would Return for Season 3?
Idris Elba as Sam Nelson is the non-negotiable anchor of the entire series. Beyond him, Christine Adams as Marsha, Max Beesley as DI Daniel O’Farrell, and Archie Panjabi as DCI Zahra Gahfoor have all been series constants. Season 2 introduced new cast members including Toby Jones and Clare-Hope Ashitey alongside a largely European ensemble given the Berlin setting. Season 3, if produced, would likely follow the same pattern, keeping the core four and building a fresh ensemble around them.
When Would Hijack Season 3 Release?
If Apple greenlights Season 3 sometime in mid 2026, realistically production would not begin until late 2026 at the earliest. Filming for Season 2 began in June 2024 following the January 2024 renewal announcement, a six-month gap. Applying that same window and accounting for post-production, a Season 3 premiere in late 2027 or early 2028 is the most plausible scenario. This show films across international locations and does not rush, which is precisely why both seasons feel cinematic rather than rushed.
How Did Season 2 Perform With Critics?
Season 2 launched to strong early buzz. Season 1 holds a 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 69 critic reviews and a Metacritic score of 65 out of 100. Season 2 arrived with significant anticipation built off that goodwill. The real-time format and Elba’s performance have consistently been cited as the show’s strongest assets, and early response to the Berlin setting has leaned positive, with critics noting the urban environment creates a different but equally claustrophobic tension.
What Happens in Hijack Season 2?
Season 2 follows Sam Nelson to Berlin, still processing the death of his son and obsessed with tracking down the man he believes orchestrated the original hijacking. That search pulls him directly into a new crisis: a U-Bahn commuter train seized and rigged to explode. The season again unfolds in real time, with Sam forced to negotiate under extreme pressure while authorities race to prevent mass casualties above and below ground. The season introduces a significant twist that reframes character loyalties midway through.
Could Season 3 Be the Last Season?
Nothing has been confirmed either way, but the show is structured more like a limited series with an ongoing lead than a traditional multi-season drama. Each season is essentially a self-contained crisis with a beginning, middle, and end. Field Smith has always been deliberate about this, treating each season as its own complete story. If Season 3 happens, it could very easily be positioned as the definitive final chapter for Sam Nelson, particularly if the creative team decides three vehicles and three crises is the right full stop.
What Are the Chances Season 3 Actually Happens?
Realistically, the odds are favorable but not guaranteed. Apple TV+ has a strong track record of supporting prestige drama, and Hijack is one of their highest-profile thrillers. The show costs real money to produce given its international locations and cinematic production values, but it also delivers the kind of event television Apple needs to drive subscriptions. The clearest indicator will be how Season 2 performs through its March 2026 finale. If completion rates hold and the finale generates significant conversation, a renewal announcement before the end of 2026 is genuinely plausible.
The Real Picture on Hijack Season 3
This is a show where patience is baked into the creative DNA. Jim Field Smith does not greenlight things casually, Apple does not announce renewals before the data is in, and Idris Elba has enough demand on his schedule that a third season would require genuine alignment from every direction. The foundation is strong, the appetite is real, and the storytelling model is repeatable. That combination does not guarantee anything, but it does mean this conversation will look very different by the end of 2026.
