Talk about corporate dramas on television, and the mention of Succession is a must. The series centers on the Roy Family, the owners of Waystar RoyCo, a global media and entertainment conglomerate, who are fighting for the control of the company amid uncertainty about the health of the family’s patriarch, Logan Roy.
Released on the 13th of June, 2018, it soon became one of the most sought-after series. It received critical appreciation as well as the love of the audience. Succession, the corporate drama, entertained the global audience with three seasons, and guess what! The fourth and final installment of the series is coming to you super soon!
So, when will Succession season 4 be released globally, and what will it be all about? Read this article till the end to find out.
When Will Succession Season 4 be Released?
In January 2023, HBO announced that the fourth season of Succession would premiere on the 26th of March. Fans had been waiting for two years for the next installment, and now it is just a matter of a few days.
The creator and showrunner, Jesse Armstrong, executive produces it with others – Adam McKay, Frank Rich, Jane Tranter, Kevin Messick, Mark Mylod, Tony Roche, Jon Brown, Scott Ferguson, Will Tracy, Lucy Prebbel, and Will Ferrell.
What Will be the Plot of Succession Season 4?
Fans worldwide had been waiting for updates on the fourth season, which made HBO release an outline that details how the new season will follow the events of the shocking finale of the previous season. The logline reads:
“The sale of media conglomerate Waystar Royco to tech visionary Lukas Matsson moves ever closer. The prospect of this seismic sale provokes existential angst and familial division among the Roys as they anticipate what their lives will look like once the deal is completed. A power struggle ensues as the family weighs up a future where their cultural and political weight is severely curtailed.”
Who will Return as the Cast in Succession Season 4?
Expect to see all your favorite characters in their own elements in the subsequent season. Although the confirmed list of returning cast is still unknown, it may include the following names:
- Brian Cox as Logan Roy
- Jeremy Strong as Kendall Roy
- Sarah Snook as Shiv Roy
- Kieran Culkin as Roman Roy
- Matthew Macfayden as Tom Wambsgans
- Nicholas Braun as Greg Hirsch
- J. Smith-Cameron as Gerri Kellman
- Alan Ruck as Connor Roy
- Hiam Abbas as Marcia Roy
- Peter Friedman as Frank Vernon
- David Rasche as Karl Muller
- Fisher Stevens as Hugo Baker
- Justine Lupe as Willa Ferreryra
- Scott Nicholson as Colin
- Zoe Winters as Kerry
- Jeannie Berlin as Cyd Peach
More information on the Plot
The finale of the third season put everyone in shock. Following the fallout of Kendall’s betrayal and Logan’s quest for revenge in the previous seasons, last season’s episodes placed the spotlight on each Roy sibling equally, giving them enough room to flex their muscles.
The finale, after all, saw all three siblings on one side, and that too, against their father.
Naturally, Shiv, Kendall, and Roman deem their father’s desire to relinquish family control of Waystar Royco an act of betrayal. The same conflict is likely to drive the story of the next season. There is a lot that the audience will be seeing and enjoying. Besides this, the season may highlight Shiv and Tom’s unconventional marriage to come under the spotlight once again as the latter betrayed his wife in exchange for Logan’s favor. It remains unknown to what full extent did Tom reach out and revealed the details, but besides him, Greg too might have played his part in alerting Logan to his children’s plans of sabotaging the deal with Matsson.
In an interview, Sarah Snook, who plays Logan’s only daughter Shiv, stated,
“I have got no idea where the show is going with that incident. I cannot wait for us to start shooting again, because I want to know what happens. I feel it’s a really powerful position for Shiv to be in because she knows the information and then can choose whether to reveal that information. She could choose not to tell her siblings, and she could also choose not to tell Tom that she knows. But it’s got to light a fire.”
You can assume that the season will begin with Kendall, Shiv, and Roman versus everyone else – at least for starters.
In another set of events, Connor might as well have an integral role. His wedding to Willa could be on the cards. Connor’s pursuit of the presidency is also likely to form its own narrative offshoot, which may further pave the way for the return of far-right congressman Jeyrd Mencken, among other politically-inclined characters.
However, of all these events, the crux of the subsequent season would revolve around Matsson’s proposed acquisition of the Roy family business. The official synopsis of HBO has highlighted the same. In any case, given that HBO executive Francesca Orsi declared in her official renewal announcement, “Jesse Armstrong continues to surpass our wildest expectations. With each new season of Succession, we are expecting to be surprised by the inevitable twists and turns that the fourth season has in store.”
Can I Watch the Trailer for Succession Season 4?
Yes. With only a few days to the release of Succession’s official release, you can watch the trailer. It ratchets up the stakes as we know that these are the final episode of the fan-favorite and critically acclaimed series. Check out the trailer here.
Is Season 4 the Final Season of Succession?
While the good news of the fourth season coming super soon has braced the audience, there is some bad news too. According to the showrunner, the fourth season will be the end of the Succession universe.
Jesse Armstrong confirmed the same in his interview. In his own words:
“There’s a promise in the title of Succession. I have never thought this could go on forever. I got together with a few of my fellow writers before we started the writing of season four, and I sort of said, ‘Look, I think this maybe should be it. But what do you think?’ And we played out various scenarios: We could do a couple of short seasons or two more seasons. Or we could do something a bit more muscular and complete and get out sort of strong. And that was definitely always my preference.”
Where Can I Watch Succession?
There are a few more days left before the release of the final season. In the meantime, you can stream the previous seasons of Succession. The first three seasons air on HBO in the USA and Sky Atlantic in the UK. Stream all the three seasons on HBO Max for US audiences and Now TV in the UK.
Some Lesser-Known Facts About Succession
Roman Roy was Not Supposed to Play Roman Roy
Kieran Culkin, the actor who played Roman Roy, was apparently sent the script of Greg. But after reading it, he resonated more with the pompous and cynical Roman. Interestingly, this role landed him a Golden Globe nomination. On the other hand, Kendall (Jeremy Strong) actually auditioned for the role of Roman Roy.
Jeremy Strong and Nicholas Braun are a Lot Like Their Characters
Kendall Roy, who is played by Jeremy Strong, draws his character’s inspiration from his own life as he always saw himself as outside, a child from inner-city Boston who worked his way into a private school. On the other hand, Nicholas Braun, who plays Cousin Greg, is also a lot like his character in real life.
The Cast Wasn’t Aware of Kendall’s Rap
One of the biggest highlights of all three Succession seasons was in the episode Dundee. Kendall’s infamous rap stole so many hearts. Many people thought it was scripted, but the reactions of other characters were not. They saw and listened to the rap for the first time, just like the viewers, and the reactions were genuine.
Is the Show Directly based on the Murdochs?
Many fans think the series is based on the Murdochs. However, it is not. But it wouldn’t be wrong to say that there are some strong similarities between the two. For instance, in Season 1’s Auteritiz, where the Roy family heads to Connor’s Santa Fe ranch for a group therapy session.
According to a news report, it was months before The New York Times Magazine published an expose revealing that the Murdochs actually had done a therapeutic retreat together at the family ranch in Australia.
Murdoch Family Watches Succession
While James Murdoch clearly stated that he doesn’t watch Succession, other family members follow the series. As per Brian Cox, when the second season premiered, he met artist Keith Tyson, husband of Elisabeth Murdoch. Tyson said that his wife finds it hard to watch Succession. He asked, “But you are going to go easy on them?” Brian Cox replied, “Oh yes, they will be fine.”
Succession has Bagged Many Awards
While the first season did reasonably well, it was from the second season onward that Succession witnessed immense popularity, both critically and non-critically. The series started receiving recognition around the world and also won many awards. Succession racked up an impressive haul of 18 nominations and seven wins at the 2020 Emmy Awards.
It included Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor, Outstanding Writing, and Outstanding Directing, among others. All these awards are proofs that Succession will likely be the top award contender for HBO in the years to follow.
The Use of Impressive Mansions
Succession explores the riches. And why not? After all, the Roys are one of the wealthiest businessmen in the country. They are always jetting off to some quite luxurious destinations, including the family’s country house.
The production team revealed in an interview that while their team originally scouted a mansion on the so-called Gold Coast of Long Island, they instead landed on a more modern Hamptons estate. It was constructed in the 1960s for Henry Ford’s grandson. There are many other castles and mansions that the series has been shot on, one of which includes Oheka Castle. Interestingly, it happens to be one of the second-largest private homes in America.
Logan Roy and Brian Cox Share the Same Scottish Hometown
Although the character of Logan was originally supposed to be born in Quebec, the writers later changed his birthplace to Dundee, Scotland. Interestingly, Scotland is Brian’s own hometown.
In the second season episode titled ‘Dundee’ the whole family returns to Logan’s ancestral homeland to celebrate his 50th anniversary as SEO. The scenes of this episode were filmed in and around landmarks such as the Magdalen Green Bandstand and the incredible new V&A Dundee Museum.