Cinemax has cancelled all its original programming, but there's a chance Warrior will get a third season if HBO Max continues the martial arts series.

Last updated: April 16, 2021

Cinemax's Bruce Lee martial arts TV series Warrior was thought to be over with the season 2 finale, which aired December 4, 2020. The good news is the series will return for season 3, but with a twist. Warrior follows the lives of various parties living in San Francisco during the real life Tong Wars in the 1870s. The show received positive reviews, and has been growing in popularity as season 2 progressed; however, Cinemax announced in early 2020 that it was ceasing production on all its original programming — including Warrior. As a result of this announcement, Warrior season 2 was expected to be the final installment of the much-loved period series, but hope has been restored for the future of the series.

While there are various main characters throughout the complex series, at the center of Warrior is Ah Sahm (Andrew Koji), a Chinese martial artist who moves to the area in search of his missing sister. Ah Sahm is the character Bruce Lee originally pitched for a TV show, which became Kung Fu starring David Carradine. In Warrior, Sahm finds himself embroiled in various conflicts after arriving in America, including the tension between the two Tongs — warring gangs within Chinatown — Hop Wei and Long Zii.

Season 2 saw the continued conflict between Chinese and Irish factory workers come to a head, with the climactic penultimate episode featuring a lengthy brawl in Chinatown. In the season 2 finale, Sahm's sister Mai Ling, who is leading the Long Zii Tong, reveals to the Hop Wei that Ah Sahm is her brother — a long held secret that significantly undermines her brother's status (and therefore safety). While it appears that Ah Sahm is safe, for now, the Irish appear ready for further bloodshed, and the new acting mayor, Walter Franklin Buckley, is doing all he can to make that happen. Meanwhile, Penelope Blake has been institutionalized, Dylan Leary has entered politics (and may have a heart injury — as heavily hinted during his fight with Ah Sahm) and the sinister Tong leader Zing may be breaking out of prison.

Warrior Season 3 Renewal

Since Cinemax has ceased all production on original series, Warrior won't be getting renewed for season 3 — at least not on Cinemax. Warrior was one of the premium channel's biggest hits, and season 2 was ordered just three episodes into season 1; however, Cinemax — which is owned by Home Box Office, Inc. (HBO) and is thus a subsidiary of WarnerMedia — has since changed strategies, likely because of the competition of HBO Max.

Now that Warrior has completed its season 2 run, it's officially been renewed for season 3. However, as many guess before, the series is now headed to HBO Max for season 3. Warrior already found a bigger audience when it began airing season 1 on HBO Max in 2020. Now that Cinemax is no longer producing original series, HBO Max picking up Warrior for another season is the next logical step. This move is similar to how Netflix revived Cobra Kai when YouTube stopped producing original series.

Warrior Season 3 Release Date Info

Even though Warrior was picked up by HBO Max, viewers will have to wait a while to see how the cliffhanger ending of season 2 pans out. Despite Warrior being renewed for season 2 in April 2019, the second season didn't premiere until October 2020, suggesting an 18-month production time. Although Warrior is officially returning for season 3, production has not yet begun. Plus, the various parties involved in creating the show are likely pursuing other projects — meaning that even if the show gets picked up by HBO Max, there will likely be scheduling conflicts delaying production. It's also unclear whether the scripts for Warrior season 3 are only just being written or are further along in the process. Either way, fans shouldn't expect Warrior season 3 to debut until the spring of 2022 at the earliest.

Warrior Season 3 Story Details

One thing is certain: when Warrior returns for season 3, there will be bloodshed. Ah Sahm being outed as the brother of the acting Long Zii head is sure to cause problems with his Hop Wei, if any other soldiers find out. Furthermore, Young Jun is already struggling with his newfound responsibility as the Hop Wei leader, and he needs Ah Sahm more than ever — especially since the latter is quickly becoming an icon within the entire Chinatown community. Mai Ling is out for blood, and her allegiance with corrupt acting mayor Buckley — strengthened by her ability to blackmail him about his past as a confederate soldier — will surely result in another showdown in the streets of Chinatown. Ah Toy, the madame controlling a brothel, survived her attack, but hasn't really dealt with Patterson's betrayal. Richard Lee was last seen quitting the police and bedding a local Black bartender — something that could result in quite the conflict if word gets out. Finally, the closing scene in the season 2 finale hints that Zing is breaking out of prison.

On the political side of things, Buckley's hold on the mayor position is still tenuous, at best. The Irish factory workers are still angry (and hungry), and now they have Leary representing them. Buckley is essentially keeping Blake out of his hair by having her institutionalized — but the woman has resources to fight back, and the finale hints that her sister, Sophie Mercer, will do all she can to free Penelope — including taking advantage of her ties to the Irish through her former lover, Leary. These, and more, storylines were left without closure by end of the Warrior season 2 finale. Now that the series has been picked up for season 3 by HBO Max, fans will hopefully get answers to all the unresolved plots from last season.

Next: How Warrior Season 2 Is Avoiding Obvious Bruce Lee References