Production on season 3 of The Umbrella Academy is underway, but star, Tom Hopper, warns it will take longer than normal to complete the new episodes. The program is based on the popular comic books created by My Chemical Romance front-man, Gerard Way. Season 2 premiered on Netflix in July 2020, and production on the new season began in February.
The Umbrella Academy story follows seven super-powered adopted siblings tasked with saving the world. The show's cast of talent making up the dysfunctional family includes Elliot Page as Vanya Hargreeves, Robert Sheehan as Klaus Hargreeves, Emmy Raver-Lampman as Allison Hargreeves, Tom Hopper as Luther Hargreeves, Aidan Gallagher as Number Five, and David Castaneda as Diego Hargreeves. Throughout its first two seasons, The Umbrella Academy has subverted genre expectations.
The Umbrella Academy's shooting schedule has been impacted by COVID-19 protocols and will take a bit longer to complete. Hopper, who plays the strong, yet silent, apelike Luther in the series, gave some insight into the progress they've achieved with season 3. The Resident Evil actor revealed in an interview with Collider that "the length of the shoot is going to be a lot longer" due to the new COVID-19 safety rules put in place on set. Due to the new protocols, the cast and crew are working shorter shoot days, which means the season may take twice as long to film. Hopper said:
Well, the COVID protocols mean that we have shorter days, which means that the actual length of the shoot is going to be a lot longer. But yeah, we're really near the beginning. We're not that far into it at the moment, so we've got a long way to go, but it's good. The great thing is the material, the work is amazing, so every day on set is, like I say, a joy and so much fun.
Season 2 of The Umbrella Academy ended on a cliffhanger, leaving fans questioning the direction the show will take when it returns. A popular theory has circulated suggesting the new season will be exploring the Sparrow Academy storyline from the comics. Of course, there is also the notion that Reginald Hargreeves has some deeper involvement in all the show's chaos. And then there's the fact that Gallagher, who plays Number Five, is growing up. The actor was 14-years-old when the show first premiered. When the show returns, hopefully, he won't look like a full-blown adult, which could potentially mess with the show's continuity and his own eternally young character.
It may be frustrating news for many to have to wait for answers, but a positive takeaway from this bit of news is that Netflix is taking on-set safety seriously in the face of this ongoing pandemic. It may be some time before these questions are answered, and for other potential Hargreeves timelines to be revealed, but there is some good news: The Umbrella Academy fans will be able to see Hopper on the big screen, taking on the iconic role of Albert Wesker in Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, which will premiere in theaters on November 24.
Source: Collider