Warning: Beyond the first subheader, this article contains spoilers for School Spirits season 2.School Spiritswill be returning. The Paramount+ supernatural teen drama stars Peyton List as Maddie Nears, a teenager who finds herself trapped in the spirit realm with the ghosts of students who have died at her high school. The series, which is known for its narrative twists and turns, also stars Milo Manheim, Kristian Ventura, Spencer MacPherson, Kiara Pichardo, Sarah Yarkin, Nick Pugliese, and Rainbow Wedell. The ending of season 2 implied that there was some confidence thatSchool Spiritsseason 3would happen, as it left multiple storylines off on major cliffhangers.
Paramount+has now announced thatSchool Spiritshas officially been renewed for season 3. The show is set to return in 2026, though the exact release window within that year is still unknown. See the announcement video, which uses footage from the season 2 finale, below:
Awesomeness and Nickelodeon’s Head of Live Action Scripted Series and Film Shauna Phelan shared a statement about the renewal, saying that"we can’t wait to see what’s in store.“Read Phelan’s full statement below:
We are so thrilled to bring SCHOOL SPIRITS back to our devoted audiences for another season of masterful storytelling brought to life by Peyton List and the incredible cast. Co-showrunners Oliver Goldstick, Nate Trinrud and Megan Trinrud have an exceptional ability to capture the complexity and nuance of the teen experience, while also keeping audiences on their toes with the unexpected mystery, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store for the students of Split River High next season.
What This Means For School Spirits
The Show Will Continue Its Smash Hit Run
This season 3 renewal is not entirely a surprise. In addition to theSchool Spiritsseason 2 ending, which teased Simon (Ventura) being stuck in the spirit world, Wally (Manheim) potentially crossing over, and Maddie being able to use Xavier (MacPherson) to talk with her dad’s ghost, this prospect was foreshadowed by season 2’s smash hit streaming numbers. Season 2 premiered to an average audience of 3.9 million in its first 28 days, which wasa 94% increase over season 1’s premiere.
The season 2 finale also teased that season 3 will explore the fallout of Maddie being back in her body for the first time in the series, outside of flashbacks.
The swiftness of this renewal means thatthe show is on track for a consistent release schedule. The wait between the season 1 finale and the season 2 premiere lasted 21 months, while this 2026 release date means that the hiatus between seasons 2 and 3 will hit a maximum of 21 months. If it is rushed into production, it could have an even shorter hiatus, though the busy schedules of its cast, several of whom star in other major projects including Peyton List (Cobra Kai) and Milo Manheim (Z-O-M-B-I-E-S), could prevent that from happening.
Our Take On The School Spirits Renewal
The Main Cast Could Expand
So far, there is no word as to which stars are set to reprise their roles inSchool Spiritsseason 3, thoughit seems probable that the entire main cast will return, including Josh Zuckerman as Mr. Martin and Jess Gabor as Janet Hamilton, who both became series regulars in season 2. Gabor in particular could be given a vastly expanded role, as Janet spent the majority of season 2 being portrayed by Peyton List while the character was in Maddie’s body.
Zuckerman was a recurring star inSchool Spiritsseason 1.
Given the success ofSchool Spiritsand the potential for an increased budget in season 3, it is also possible that the two new major recurring stars -Miles Elliot as Yuriand Ci Hang Ma as Quinn - could also become series regulars with more expansive storylines. This would make sense, asthe season 2 finale will likely have huge repercussions on the ongoing storylineas the ghosts adjust to the absence of Maddie and the return of Janet.
