The Paper Season 3: Is It Renewed? What Greg Daniels Has Said

The Paper has not officially been renewed for Season 3 by Peacock as of September 9, 2026, but there is a very encouraging development for viewers who want another season. Co-creator Greg Daniels has confirmed that the writers have already started the Season 3 writing process. That means the creative team is actively developing what could happen next at the Toledo Truth Teller, although it should not be confused with a public renewal announcement from Peacock. Current renewal trackers still list the series only through its confirmed second season, and Peacock has not announced a Season 3 release date. So the accurate status is unusual but straightforward: Season 3 is being written, but Peacock has not publicly ordered it yet.

Related: The Paper Season 2 Ending Explained: What Happens to Ned, Mare and the Truth Teller?

Has Peacock officially renewed The Paper for Season 3?

No. Peacock has not issued the kind of formal renewal announcement it released for Season 2.

The difference is worth emphasizing because The Paper received its first renewal unusually early. Peacock announced Season 2 on September 3, 2025, one day before all ten episodes of Season 1 became available. That announcement clearly stated that Peacock had ordered another season. There has been no equivalent Season 3 statement yet.

Current industry renewal trackers likewise list The Paper as having been renewed for Season 2, with no official third-season order. Sites reporting that Season 3 is already “renewed” appear to be interpreting the writers’ room news more strongly than the available public confirmation allows.

Why are the writers already working on Season 3?

Greg Daniels has directly confirmed that the creative process has begun.

While discussing Season 2 with co-creator Michael Koman, Daniels said that they had “just started the writing process for Season 3.” The comment came while the creators were discussing which character pairings and relationships they still wanted to explore. That is significant.

Television writers do not need to wait for a public press release before beginning development. Studios and producers can authorize early writing or story work while renewal decisions are still being finalized or before a renewal is announced publicly.

It therefore tells us that the people making The Paper are not treating Season 2 as the end of the story. It does not, on its own, prove that Peacock has signed off on production of another ten episodes.

Is a Season 3 renewal likely?

The fact that writing has begun makes Season 3 look considerably more promising than a show whose creators are simply saying they would like to return.

There is already an active creative process, and Season 2 has also opened to generally positive critical reception. Rotten Tomatoes currently lists the second season at roughly 85 percent from critics, with several reviews arguing that the show has become more confident and distinctive than it was during its first year.

That improvement matters because The Paper is still a relatively young Peacock comedy trying to establish an identity beyond being “the Office spinoff.”

There is another factor in its favor: the creators deliberately leave character and newsroom stories available for continuation. Ned’s ambitions for the Truth Teller, Mare’s developing career and their workplace relationship all have obvious room to grow.

None of that guarantees renewal, because Peacock will also consider viewership, completion rates, costs and subscriber engagement that are not currently public.

But Season 3 being actively written is a much stronger signal than ordinary end-of-season optimism.

What could Season 3 be about?

Daniels and Koman have already hinted that they are interested in exploring different character combinations and unresolved relationships.

One storyline they specifically mentioned is the damaged friendship between Nicole and Mare. Mare’s relationship with Ned changes the dynamic between the two women during Season 2, and the creators have suggested they want to understand what each character really thinks about the other. That fits the larger direction of the series.

Season 1 was heavily centered on Ned trying to turn the Truth Teller into a functioning newsroom. Season 2 allows the supporting staff to become more capable reporters and gives the workplace relationships greater weight.

A third season could therefore continue expanding the ensemble instead of relying solely on Ned’s effort to rescue the newspaper.

Mare’s career development also gives the writers an obvious continuing question. Her temporary Cincinnati assignment shows that the Truth Teller is no longer the only place where she could realistically work.

When could The Paper Season 3 be released?

There is no confirmed release date because Peacock has not officially announced Season 3.

It would be tempting to predict another September release because both existing seasons arrived in September, but that should not be presented as a factual schedule. Production timing, cast availability and Peacock’s programming plans could all change.

Season 2 filmed well before its September 2026 premiere, and any third season would still need to complete writing, pre-production, filming and post-production after receiving the necessary production approval. Until Peacock makes an announcement, a precise 2027 date would be speculation.

The better indicator to watch is whether the network confirms the renewal itself and whether production is subsequently reported as beginning.

Will the main cast return for Season 3?

No Season 3 cast has officially been announced. If the series continues directly from Season 2, Domhnall Gleeson and Chelsea Frei would naturally remain important as Ned and Mare, while Sabrina Impacciatore, Oscar Nuñez and the Truth Teller ensemble are central to the show’s mockumentary format. But that is expectation rather than confirmed casting.

The creators’ comments about continuing to explore the existing characters suggest they are developing Season 3 around the current ensemble rather than imagining a completely new workplace.

For now, the most useful distinction is also the simplest one: The Paper Season 3 is not officially renewed, but it is already being written.

That puts the show in a much better position than a series ending its season with no indication that anyone is planning what comes next. Peacock still needs to make the business decision public, but creatively, Greg Daniels and Michael Koman are already thinking beyond Season 2.