'Reign' Season 3 Updates: Premiere Date, Shorter New Season Likely

The CW’s historical fantasy series “Reign” will be returning with Season 3 on Friday, Oct. 09, and according to the latest buzz, it may be a shorter season compared to the previous two seasons. Reign was renewed for another season in January.

ACTRA Toronto has listed “Reign” Season 3 production dates as beginning on June 30 and ending on Dec. 02, according to Spoiler TV. In comparison, the previous season was filmed for a much longer time, from July 2014 to April 2015. This has triggered speculations that the episode count of “Reign” Season 3 will be reduced, though it was originally renewed for 22-episode Season 3.

“Reign” Season 2 ended on a grim note, with Nostradamus (Rossif Sutherland) confirming that Francis (Toby Regbo) is dying and Catherine (Megan Follows) forming an alliance with Mary’s enemy Queen Elizabeth (Rachel Skarsten). She blamed Mary (Adelaide Kane) for her exile from French court.

According to the official synopsis of “Reign” Season 3, the third season begins with Mary and Francis realising that they are more powerful together than apart. They will be seen “believing there is hope for them to move forward, leaving behind the anger and hurt.”The new season will introduce Elizabeth, “Virgin” Queen of England’s court and the people who surround her. She is still early in her reign and will be seen facing opposition on all sides, mainly from the menfolk who at the time doubted a woman’s ability to rule.

Like her foe Mary and her new well-wisher Catherine, the Queen of England will also struggle to hold on to power. “The women have much in common, and Mary and Elizabeth are reluctant foes, but foes nonetheless, each positioned by birth and fate to destroy all the other holds dear,” the synopsis of the new season reveals.

Meanwhile, Kane has confirmed that Francis has to ultimately die. She told Seat42f that the story would not progress without that. “Reign” executive producer Laurie McCarthy also has confirmed that Francis will die. Entertainment Weekly (EW) quoted her saying that “… the foreshadowing of Francis’s eventual but untimely death has been woven into our story from the outset.”

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