The halls of Nevermore Academy are about to get a major dose of 1990s nostalgia. Winona Ryder, known to a whole generation as Lydia Deetz from Beetlejuice and more recently as Joyce Byers in Stranger Things, is officially joining the cast of Wednesday Season 3.
Netflix confirmed the casting on February 23, 2026, announcing that production for the new season is already underway near Dublin, Ireland. This marks a full-circle moment for Ryder, who now reunites with her Beetlejuice Beetlejuice co-star Jenna Ortega and longtime collaborator director Tim Burton.
A Beetlejuice Reunion at Nevermore Academy
The casting news brings together the creative team behind last year’s successful Beetlejuice Beetlejuice sequel. Ryder starred as Lydia Deetz alongside Ortega, who played her daughter Astrid, while Burton directed and Al Gough and Miles Millar wrote the screenplay. Now that entire team is back together for the Netflix series.
Gough and Millar, who serve as creators and showrunners for Wednesday, expressed their excitement about the reunion. “When it comes to Outcasts, Winona Ryder is the GOAT,” they said in a statement. “Her legendary partnership with Tim Burton has defined some of cinema’s most unforgettable characters. We loved collaborating with her on ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ and couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome her to Nevermore.”
Burton himself shared his joy about Ryder joining the cast. “I am so happy that Winona has joined us; she fits right into this world,” the director said. “And she’s a dear friend. I always feel lucky to work with her.”
Who Will Winona Ryder Play in Wednesday Season 3?
According to multiple sources, Ryder will play a character named Tabitha in the upcoming season . However, Netflix and the show’s creators are keeping specific details about her role tightly under wraps. Given the show’s track record of surprising fans with unexpected character connections, speculation is already running wild about who Tabitha might be and how she connects to the existing Addams Family universe.
The mystery surrounding her character adds to the anticipation for Season 3, which promises to “excavate some long-rotting Addams Family secrets,” according to the showrunners.
Star-Studded New Additions to the Cast
Ryder isn’t the only fresh face heading to Nevermore Academy. Netflix announced several other new cast members joining the third season :
- Chris Sarandon (Dog Day Afternoon, The Princess Bride), who famously voiced Jack Skellington in Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
- Noah Taylor (Peaky Blinders, Game of Thrones), who previously worked with Burton on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
- Oscar Morgan (A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Gotham Knights)
- Kennedy Moyer (Task, Roofman)
These newcomers join previously announced cast member Eva Green, who will portray Ophelia, Morticia Addams’ long-lost sister . Green, known for her roles in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and Dark Shadows, brings her own Burton connection to the series.
Burton commented on the growing list of familiar faces. “I’m so excited to be back for Season 3 and it’s great to be reunited with all of the original cast,” he said. “The addition of some dear friends and past collaborators of mine – Winona, Eva, Chris, Noah…makes this season extra special. I feel very lucky.”
Returning Faces for Season 3
The core cast of Wednesday will be back for more supernatural mysteries at Nevermore Academy . Jenna Ortega returns in the lead role of Wednesday Addams, the deadpan psychic teen solving murders while navigating life at the unusual school.
Other returning cast members include:
- Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams
- Luis Guzmán as Gomez Addams
- Isaac Ordonez as Pugsley Addams
- Joanna Lumley as Grandmama Hester Frump
- Fred Armisen as Uncle Fester
- Emma Myers as Enid Sinclair
- Hunter Doohan as Tyler Galpin
- Joy Sunday as Bianca Barclay
- Moosa Mostafa as Eugene Ottinger
- Georgie Farmer as Ajax Petropolus
- Victor Dorobantu as Thing
- Billie Piper as Isadora Capri
What to Expect From Wednesday Season 3
Production for Season 3 is officially underway in Dublin, Ireland, where the series has filmed since its first season . The showrunners have teased what fans can expect from the upcoming episodes.
“It’s our dark delight to fling open Nevermore Academy’s gates once more as we begin production on Season 3,” Gough and Millar said. “We thank our invincible cast and crew for their continued commitment to doom and gloom. To the fans, we appreciate your patience and ravenous online commentary – your twisted theories have inspired nightmares.”
The new season will pick up after the dramatic events of Season 2, which was released in two parts during August and September 2025. Viewers last saw Wednesday riding off with her Uncle Fester to attempt to rescue her best friend Enid, who was trapped as an alpha werewolf .
According to the showrunners, Season 3 will “welcome new students, new teachers, and excavate some long-rotting Addams Family secrets” .
The Massive Success of Wednesday
Wednesday has become a cultural phenomenon since its 2022 debut. The first season remains Netflix’s most-watched English-language season of TV ever, spending 20 weeks in the Global Top 10 . The show has earned 50 award nominations and 17 wins, including Emmys, Golden Globes, and SAG Awards.
Season 2 continued this success, currently ranking as the streamer’s fifth most-watched English language season of all time . The show sparked a gothic fashion revival, caused makeup products to sell out, and even sent The Cramps’ 1980s song “Goo Goo Muck” to a 5,000% surge in streams. Jenna Ortega’s iconic dance scene inspired millions of TikTok recreations using Lady Gaga’s “Bloody Mary,” leading to a 1,800% spike in Spotify streams and eventually landing Lady Gaga a guest role in Season 2.
When Will Wednesday Season 3 Release?
Netflix has not yet announced a specific release date for Wednesday Season 3. With production just beginning in February 2026, fans will likely need to wait until late 2026 or early 2027 to see the new episodes.
Both Season 1 and Season 2 of Wednesday are currently streaming on Netflix for viewers who want to catch up or revisit the series before the new episodes arrive.
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