If you’re anything like me, you probably finished the second season of The Head on HBO Max (or StarzPlay, depending on where you live) and immediately started scouring the internet for news about a third chapter. It’s a reasonable reaction. After the claustrophobic, icy terror of the Polaris VI station and the high-seas isolation of the Alexandria, the show has carved out a very specific niche. It’s that "nowhere to run" vibe that Ran Tellem and the Pastor brothers do so well.
The good news? The Head Season 3 isn't just a rumor. It’s actually happening. Mediapro Studio confirmed the renewal a while back, but details have been kept tighter than a submarine hatch. Honestly, the wait has been a bit of a grind for fans of the Spanish-produced survival thriller.
What we actually know about the story
Most people expected the show to head back to the ice. I mean, the title and the original branding are so tied to the Antarctic. But the showrunners have shown they aren't afraid to pivot. Season 2 moved the carnage to a massive container ship in the middle of the Point Nemo—the most remote place on Earth.
For The Head Season 3, the production has shifted gears again. This time, the "isolation" isn't necessarily about physical distance from land. It’s about the Sahara Desert.
Think about that for a second. We went from the coldest place on the planet to a research vessel, and now we’re heading to the scorching heat of the desert. It’s a brilliant way to keep the "closed-room mystery" alive without repeating the same visual palette. The heat is just as deadly as the cold. Dehydration, sandstorms, and mirages replace frostbite and hypothermia.
John Lynch is back (and that’s a big deal)
You can’t have this show without Arthur Wilde. John Lynch’s portrayal of the brilliant but morally bankrupt biologist is basically the glue holding the entire franchise together. Despite everything that happened at the end of Season 2—and let’s be real, Arthur is a terrible human being—he is returning.
The official word is that the new season picks up some time after the events of the Alexandria. Arthur is still obsessed with his research. He’s still trying to "save the world" while simultaneously being the most dangerous man in any room he enters. Joining him is Katharine O’Donnelly as Maggie Mitchell. Their dynamic is the heart of the series. It’s a cat-and-mouse game where both the cat and the mouse are arguably sociopaths.
Wait.
Is Maggie actually a sociopath? That's the debate that dominates every Reddit thread. Season 1 painted her as a victim-turned-avenger. Season 2 showed us she’s much more calculating. In The Head Season 3, we’re likely going to see the final evolution of that rivalry.
The Sahara setting: Not just a backdrop
Filming for the third season took place in various locations, including Tenerife and Almería. If you’ve seen The Revenant or Mad Max, you know how much the environment can act as a character. In the Sahara, the isolation is psychological.
The plot reportedly involves a new scientific breakthrough. This time, it’s not about CO2-eating bacteria from the ice. It’s focused on a different kind of extreme survival research. Expect a new cast of international faces to get picked off one by one. That’s the formula. We love the formula.
Katharine O'Donnelly mentioned in a few brief interviews that this season feels "larger" but "more intimate." That sounds like actor-speak, but when you look at the production scale of Mediapro, it makes sense. They’ve moved from a static set in a studio to expansive outdoor locations that make the characters look like ants.
Why this show works when others fail
A lot of "whodunnit" shows get bogged down in being too clever. They throw out red herrings that don't make sense or rely on "magic" solutions. The Head stays grounded in science—even if it's slightly exaggerated science.
It works because of the pacing.
Each season is only six episodes.
No filler.
No "B-plots" about a character's cousin back home.
Just pure, unadulterated dread.
Also, the international flavor is refreshing. Seeing Spanish, British, Irish, and Japanese actors all working together reflects what these research outposts actually look like. It’s not just a "Hollywood" version of a global team.
Addressing the misconceptions
I've seen some articles claiming The Head Season 3 is a prequel. That’s just flat-out wrong. While the show uses flashbacks heavily to explain the "why" behind the murders, the narrative timeline is moving forward. Arthur Wilde is older, more desperate, and his legacy is crumbling.
Another weird rumor was that it was moving to a traditional TV network. Nope. It remains a flagship international production for Mediapro, usually landing on platforms like Max in the US and HBO Max in Europe and Latin America.
What to expect from the new characters
While we don't have the full roster of "victims" yet, the casting calls suggested a mix of younger scientists and grizzled security personnel. The show thrives on the friction between the people who are there to "learn" and the people there to "protect." Usually, the people meant to protect end up being the biggest threats.
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The Sahara setting allows for a different kind of cinematography. Expect long, sweeping shots of dunes that look like waves. It’s a visual mirror to the ocean in Season 2. The blue of the ice, the grey of the sea, and now the orange of the sand. It’s a deliberate trilogy of colors.
How to prepare for the premiere
If it’s been a while since you watched the first two seasons, go back and pay attention to Arthur’s dialogue about "the greater good." It’s the recurring theme of the whole series. Every villain in this show thinks they are the hero. That’s what makes the writing stand out.
- Rewatch the final ten minutes of Season 2. The fallout from the ship's explosion and the legal status of the survivors is going to be crucial for how Season 3 starts.
- Track the release dates for your specific region. Because this is an international co-production, it doesn't always drop everywhere at the same time. Spain usually gets it first, followed by the rest of Europe, then the US.
- Don't look for a "happy" ending. This isn't that kind of show.
The reality is that The Head Season 3 is likely the conclusion of this specific arc. You can only trap Arthur and Maggie in so many places before it starts to feel like Scooby-Doo. By moving to the desert, the creators are giving themselves one last big canvas to paint a bloody, brilliant mystery.
Keep an eye on the official Mediapro Studio social media channels for the first teaser trailer. They usually drop a 30-second clip about two months before the full release. Based on the production schedule, the sun-drenched horror of the Sahara is closer than you think.
To get the most out of the upcoming season, focus on the power dynamics between the veteran scientists and the newcomers. The series has always been a critique of ego in the scientific community. Arthur Wilde represents the old guard who will do anything to maintain their status, while Maggie represents the consequences of that arrogance. Expect the desert heat to act as a pressure cooker that finally forces these two into a definitive, final confrontation where only one can realistically walk away. Search for local listings on Max or StarzPlay to ensure you have access to the premiere as soon as the regional lock lifts.