Nazis taking control of the multiverse is a real concern for the characters in season 3 of Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle. The new trailer debuted at Comic-Con 2018, along with the news that the alternate history series, loosely based on the novel by Philip K. Dick, has already received a season 4 renewal despite season 3 still being several months away. That display of confidence isn’t uncommon among streaming giants with gobs of money at their disposal, but given what’s on display in the new trailer it might hint that the show is realigning itself to better fit with the new direction Amazon’s original content is headed.
The last two seasons have focused on the relatively limited resistance fighting to free the United States from German and Japanese rule in the wake of the Second World War’s dramatically different outcome. Now the show is preparing to hop across dimensions, complete with alternate universe doppelgängers who pose a threat to German rule while also offering a new objective for them to conquer. As the trailer demonstrates, this brings a greater emphasis on action, as many of the scenes included depicted here are, well, rather explosive.
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In addition to the announcement at Comic-Con, Amazon released an official statement that offers more details on what viewers can expect when season 3 streams on October 5. Check out the synopsis below:
“Season three of the Emmy award-winning The Man in the High Castle finds Juliana Crain (Alexa Davalos) grappling with her destiny after seeking safety in the Neutral Zone. Realizing that their fates are intertwined, she works with Trade Minister Tagomi (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa) to interpret the mystery of the last remaining films. Meanwhile, as tensions between the Reich and the Empire continue to rise, Joe Blake (Luke Kleintank) returns from Berlin and is sent on a diplomatic mission to San Francisco, where he and Juliana reunite and come to a turning point in their relationship. Also in the new season, Obergruppenfuhrer John Smith (Rufus Sewell) finds himself celebrated by Nazi high society, but political forces are closing in as North American Reischsmarschall Lincoln Rockwell and J. Edgar Hoover plot against him. Helen (Chelah Horsdal) takes drastic action to protect her family while they struggle with the aftermath of Thomas’ death, and Smith learns of a shocking and ambitious new Nazi program that has personal and global ramifications.”
The changes to the series come after season 2 lost original showrunner Frank Spotniz, and without an actual replacement for the former X-Files writer, The Man In the High Castle largely flipped the switch from an investigation of the rise of fascism to an emphasis on science fiction-y elements, like alternate dimensions. And now, it would seem as though season 3 showrunner Eric Overmyer is set to take the show even deeper into those genre elements.
Although given the show’s status as one Amazon’s most-watched original series it might not seem imperative for The Man in the High Castle to go all-in on genre aspects, one has to wonder whether or not Amazon’s quest for more Game of Thrones-like television blockbusters played a part in the dimension-hopping focus of the upcoming season and, presumably, the upcoming fourth installment as well. As the newly announced premiere date shows, fans will have some time to wait until they find out.
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The Man in the High Castle season 3 premieres Friday, October 5, 2018 on Amazon Prime Video.