When Does Hijack Season 3 Come Out? Is It Renewed?
“Who can you trust when it's all on the line?”
Hijack Season 3 has not been confirmed yet.
IMDb
7.3/10
Seasons
2
Episodes
15
Predictive Logic Analysis
Season 2 completed its run on March 4, 2026, just two months ago. Apple TV+ typically takes several months to greenlight follow-up seasons, so the absence of a renewal announcement is not alarming on its own. What is worth noting is that the season-over-season IMDb drop (7.8 to 7.2) is a non-trivial signal. It is not catastrophic, but it suggests the train-based premise landed slightly less well with the audience than the original plane hijack concept. The format is inherently episodic and self-contained per season, which arguably gives Apple flexibility to continue it as a franchise or quietly let it lapse without much backlash.
Apple TV+ has renewed Hijack before at a point when the show had demonstrated genuine audience traction, and the Trakt watcher count of roughly 78,000 active viewers with steady momentum is a reasonable baseline for a streamer that does not publish viewership data publicly. However, Wikipedia pageview interest is falling, which mirrors the IMDb trajectory and suggests the cultural conversation around the show has cooled since Season 1's stronger reception. The single Emmy nomination from its first season is a mild prestige marker, but not enough on its own to force Apple's hand. Idris Elba remains the show's clearest asset, and his continued involvement in promotion (the New York screening in January) at least signals no obvious falling-out between talent and network. Whether Apple sees a third "transport hijack" scenario as a sustainable creative direction is the real unknown.
What is Hijack about?
Hijack puts Idris Elba on a plane and asks you to watch him think. Sam Nelson is a corporate negotiator who finds himself mid-flight to London when armed hijackers take over, and the show's central conceit is that his only real weapon is his ability to read people and say the right thing at the right moment. No gun, no special ops training, just a man working angles. For viewers who find standard action thrillers exhausting in their reliance on physical spectacle, that premise is genuinely refreshing.
The first season runs in near-real time across seven episodes, one per hour of the flight, which gives it a ticking-clock tension that actually earns the format. George Kay and Jim Field Smith keep the pressure tight without much release, which is both the show's strength and its occasional problem. There are stretches where the mechanics of the plot start to show, where a coincidence or a character's inexplicable hesitation exists purely to extend the runway. Elba holds it together through sheer watchability, but the writing sometimes leans on him harder than it should.
Critical reception was warm rather than ecstatic. Most reviewers appreciated the efficient construction and Elba's performance while noting the show doesn't reinvent anything. The IMDb rating sits at a respectable 7.3, which feels about right. Audiences found it a satisfying binge without necessarily treating it as prestige television.
A second season arrived in 2026, which is a slightly strange move given how completely the plane scenario resolved. Where the show goes from there matters, because the thing that made season one work was the specific, contained claustrophobia of being 30,000 feet up with nowhere to go.
Created by George Kay, Jim Field Smith
Themes
Is Hijack renewed or cancelled?
Working toward renewal
Season 2 recently completed its run (March 2026), still within Apple's typical renewal decision window
Trakt active watcher count of ~78,000 with steady momentum indicates an ongoing audience
TMDB status listed as Returning Series, suggesting no confirmed ending
Idris Elba actively promoting Season 2, indicating talent remains engaged
Emmy nomination (Season 1) provides mild prestige credibility
Working against it
No renewal or cancellation announcement from Apple TV+ two months after Season 2 finale
Season 2 IMDb rating dropped to 7.2 from 7.8 in Season 1, suggesting softer audience reception
Wikipedia pageview trend is falling, pointing to reduced broader interest since Season 1
Show's self-contained per-season format limits serialized audience lock-in, making cancellation lower-friction for Apple
Hijack Season 3 Release Date
If Apple renews Hijack for a third season, the production timeline from prior seasons suggests a gap of roughly 18 to 24 months between season finales. Season 1 aired mid-2023 and Season 2 premiered January 2026, which is about a 30-month gap, likely reflecting both production scheduling and Apple's deliberate release strategy. A Season 3, if greenlit in late 2026, would realistically arrive sometime in 2027 at the earliest. Given that the show films on location and relies on a specific high-concept premise that needs to be developed fresh each season, a rushed turnaround is unlikely.
Without a renewal signal, pinning down a release window is not really possible. The two-month post-finale period is still well within Apple's normal decision-making horizon, so the next few months will be telling. If no announcement comes by late 2026, the odds of a Season 3 dim considerably.
Best & worst episodes
Hijack seasons
Season 12023 · 7 ep
- 1. Final Call2023-06-28 · ★ 7.6
- 2. 3 Degrees2023-06-28 · ★ 7.7
- 3. Draw a Blank2023-07-04 · ★ 7.8
- 4. Not Responding2023-07-12 · ★ 7.7
- 5. Less Than an Hour2023-07-19 · ★ 7.7
- 6. Comply Slowly2023-07-26 · ★ 7.9
- 7. Brace Brace Brace2023-08-02 · ★ 7.8
Season 22026 · 8 ep
- 1. Signal2026-01-14 · ★ 7.2
- 2. Control2026-01-21 · ★ 7.2
- 3. Baggage2026-01-28 · ★ 7.2
- 4. Switch2026-02-04 · ★ 7.4
- 5. Outage2026-02-11 · ★ 7.4
- 6. Junction2026-02-18 · ★ 7.3
- 7. Contact2026-02-25 · ★ 7.1
- 8. Terminal2026-03-04 · ★ 7.1
Hijack trailer
Hijack cast
View all cast →
Idris Elba
Sam Nelson
Christine Adams
Marsha Smith-Nelson
Christian Näthe
Otto Weber
Clare-Hope Ashitey
Olivia Thatcher
Lisa Vicari
Clara Berger
Dejan Bućin
Zoran Beck
Jasmine Bayes
Mei Tan
Where to watch Hijack
See all viewing options →
AI Verdict
Hijack's second season only finished airing in early March 2026, so it's genuinely too early to read anything into the silence on a renewal. Apple TV+ has not said a word either way, and the show's modest IMDb dip from Season 1 to Season 2 keeps it from looking like a clear lock. The bubble is real here.
Live signals
78K watching on Traktsteady
Interest falling
Verdict updated 1 month ago · 3 tracked mentions — no renewal-specific coverage yet
Updated 2026-05-26 · AI-generated analysis
3 tracked mentions · no renewal signalKey sources weighed
- Video: Apple TV Debuts Gripping Trailer for Season Two of "Hijack"
NewsAPI:Thefutoncritic.com · 2025-12-11renewal positive
- Hijack Trades Planes For Trains In Season 2 — Get Premiere Date And A Sneak Peek
NewsAPI:TVLine · 2025-10-21renewal positive
Hijack latest news
- Idris Elba is Joined by Wife Sabrina & Daughter Isan at 'Hijack' Season 2 Screening
NewsAPI:Just Jared · 2026-01-09general
- Video: Apple TV Debuts Gripping Trailer for Season Two of "Hijack"
NewsAPI:Thefutoncritic.com · 2025-12-11renewal positive
- Hijack Trades Planes For Trains In Season 2 — Get Premiere Date And A Sneak Peek
NewsAPI:TVLine · 2025-10-21renewal positive
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Frequently asked
- When does Hijack Season 3 come out?
- Hijack Season 3 has not been confirmed yet.
- Is Hijack renewed or cancelled?
- Hijack's second season only finished airing in early March 2026, so it's genuinely too early to read anything into the silence on a renewal. Apple TV+ has not said a word either way, and the show's modest IMDb dip from Season 1 to Season 2 keeps it from looking like a clear lock. The bubble is real here.
- How many seasons of Hijack are there?
- Hijack has aired 2 seasons so far.
- How many episodes of Hijack are there?
- There are 15 episodes of Hijack across 2 seasons.
- Who created Hijack?
- Hijack was created by George Kay and Jim Field Smith.
- Where can I watch Hijack?
- Hijack is available to stream on Apple TV and Apple TV Amazon Channel.
- What is Hijack's IMDb rating?
- Hijack holds an IMDb rating of 7.3/10 from 92,245 votes.