Will there be a Red Eye series 3? And who will return?
MI5's Delaney is always a key characterRed Eye series 2 finished in shocking fashion, so fans are now thinking excitedly about Red Eye series 3.
Jing Lusi returned as DS Hana Li, with Line of Duty’s Martin Compston joining as Clay Brody, the Head of US Embassy Security.
Once again Hana was thrown into an international conspiracy where she helped MI5 Director General Madeline Delaney (Lesley Sharp) find the truth.
But what’s the future of the ITV hit? We investigate…
***Warning: contains spoilers from the ending of Red Eye series 2***
Will there be a Red Eye series 3?
ITV is yet to confirm if there will be a third series of Red Eye. However, the first series, which starred Richard Armitage, was a huge ratings success. It was streamed over 29 million times on ITVX and became one of ITV’s top dramas of 2024.
Red Eye series 2 is likely to be one of ITV’s biggest dramas of 2026. Plus, in more good news for fans, star Jing Lusi is keen on making Red Eye series 3. “Yes, absolutely – I love the heightened world of Red Eye,” she enthused when asked about returning.
Even more importantly, we know the production team are already working on plans for series 3. Plus, the show’s creator, Peter A Dowling, has said he wants the drama to be a trilogy. So, we’d be stunned if a third season didn’t happen.
What would be the plot? Might Hana join MI5?
OK, so we don’t have an official plot as yet. But the makers have revealed it’s again likely to revolve around Hana, her journalist sister Jess and MI5’s Madeline Delaney.
Executive producer Julie Gardner said they were at the “beginning of the journey” for series 3. She revealed that the plot would again involve “a lockbox location” involving Hana, Jess and Delaney. In TV terms, a lockbox location is a place where the key characters can’t escape from.
In series 1, Hana was stuck on a plane with Richard Armitage’s Dr Matthew Nolan. In Red Eye series 2, Hana was shut in the US Embassy with Clay Brody, while Delaney was trapped on a jet containing a bomb.
So, Red Eye series 3 will once again imprison Hana in a dramatic location. The show will also likely feature a plane element, especially given it’s called Red Eye. There was a blink and you miss it reference to a character being on a red eye flight in series 2.
Creator Peter A Dowling said: “I’m as excited as anyone to see what trouble Hana, Delaney and Jess will find themselves in next. And in true movie form, we have to aim for Red Eye to be a trilogy.”
The makers, though, haven’t revealed where series 3 will trap the characters. At the end of series 2, Delaney offered Hana a job at MI5. Hana turned it down, but Delaney said the offer would stand if she changed her mind. Hana being an MI5 agent could be an interesting twist for the third season.
Will Martin Compston and Richard Armitage return for Red Eye series 3?
Martin Compston played central character Clay Brody in series 2. Brody survived and so the character could return. It seems unlikely the plot could revolve around him again. However, perhaps Delaney could offer him a job at MI5? He’s clearly unlikely to be working for the Americans again having taken a suitcase out of the embassy against orders!
We imagine the makers, though, would be keen for Martin Compston to appear in Red Eye series 3. After all Richard Armitage has caused a huge surprise by returning as series 1 lead character Dr Matthew Nolan. Richard Armitage made his shock return in episode 5 of series 2 and it was more than a cameo. Proving again how good he is in a crisis, he patched up MI5’s Ruth after she took a bullet.
Martin Compston and Richard Armitage didn’t share any screen time in series 2. How can the makers resist putting them together for a scene in series 3?
Meanwhile, we’d expect Jing Lusi to be teamed up for another big name actor for series 3. It’s also likely that Hana will once again have doubts about the motivation of the mysterious person.
When will the next series air?
So, Red Eye series 3, assuming it gets the green light, will likely air in 2027. Very early production on Red Eye series 3 seems to have started.
Writer Peter A Dowling has a story in mind and the production team are already discussing plans for making a third series.
In another encouraging sign that we won’t have to wait too long, star Jing Lusi has indicated her desire to continue. However, other key casting needs to happen. We hope filming will take place in the summer of 2026, meaning ITV will be in a position to screen it the following year.
You never know we might in the future get a Red Eye series 4!
Read more: Red Eye series 2 filming locations revealed
