Created by Seth MacFarlane, who also portrays series protagonist Ed Mercer, the captain of the titular spacecraft, The Orville is a science-fiction comedy-drama series. Set in the 25th century, the plot revolves around Mercer and the rest of the crew of USS Orville (ECV-197), including his former wife Commander Kelly Grayson. As they traverse through the universe in their mid-level exploratory vessel, they realize that their interpersonal relationships also require expert maneuvering.
Season 1 premiered on Fox on September 10, 2017, and garnered mostly negative reviews from the critics. That changed in season 2, which debuted on December 30, 2018. Season 3 premiered exclusively on Hulu on June 2, 2022. If you are curious about when season 4 is coming out, you have come to the right place.
Here’s all The Orville season 4 release date information we know so far, and all the details on when it is coming out.
Is there a The Orville season 4 release date?
The Orville season 4 does not have an official release date, but it can be announced in the future.
Back in January 2023, Craig Erwich, the president of Disney Television Group inclusive of content strategy across ABC Entertainment, Disney Branded Television, Freeform, and Hulu Originals programming, told TVLine that the network “doesn’t have anything to share” when he was asked about The Orville season 4.
Since the release of season 3, various cast and crew members have voiced their hopes for a potential fourth season of the series. In March 2023, MacFarlane mentioned that he was “cautiously optimistic” about the future of the series while answering a query on Twitter (now known as X). “The industry is in the midst of a time of upheaval and transition,” he posted. “I wish I could provide a definitive answer to your question. At the moment, all I can say is that I remain… cautiously optimistic,” he further wrote.
In April, a month before WGA went on strike, Kit Stølen, art director for the series, basically echoed MacFarlane in his own Twitter post. “We’re still hoping we get to do more. Film/TV/streaming industry is having a weird moment so everything is frozen till it gets worked out,” he wrote.
Stølen also implied that while there was definitely potential for more stories in the series, he and the team were not the ultimate decision-makers. “There’s a whole universe of stories to tell & certainly no desire to end it. Just at the mercy of greater forces,” the tweet said.
Even if there were plans for season 3, they were undoubtedly affected by the strikes. The WAG ended its strike, but SAG-AFTRA hasn’t, and that will continue to impact any project, greenlit or not, for the foreseeable future.
The cast includes Seth MacFarlane as Captain Edward “Ed” Mercer, Adrianne Palicki as Commander Kelly Grayson, Penny Johnson Jerald as Doctor Claire Finn, Scott Grimes as Lieutenant Gordon Malloy, Peter Macon as Lieutenant Commander Bortus, J. Lee as Lieutenant Commander John LaMarr, Mark Jackson as Isaac, Jessica Szohr as Lieutenant Commander Talla Keyali, Anne Winters as Ensign Charly Burke, and more.
Where is The Orville season 4 coming out?
The Orville season 4 isn’t confirmed to release on Hulu. ComingSoon will provide an update if and when season 3 is greenlit.
The official synopsis for The Orville reads:
“Set 400 years in the future, finds the crew of the U.S.S. Orville continuing their mission of exploration, as they navigate both the mysteries of the universe and the complexities of their own interpersonal relationships.”
