Alice in Borderland Season 3: The Joker Card, Renewal Status, and What to Expect in 2025

Is the game truly over?

That’s the question that has been haunting millions of us since we watched Arisu and Usagi seemingly escape the twisted, game-filled world of the Borderlands. The final shot of Alice in Borderland Season 2 was both beautiful and utterly chilling: a single, sinister Joker card left on a table, hinting that our heroes might not be as free as they think.

For years, fans have been caught in a state of limbo, debating whether that Joker was a definitive ending or a cliffhanger for more to come. Well, the whispers and cryptic teasers have finally led to something concrete. As we navigate 2025, the picture for Alice in Borderland Season 3 on Netflix is becoming clearer, and it looks like we might be heading back into the arena.

So, grab your survival gear and charge your phone (if you still have one). Let’s dive deep into everything we know about the official renewal, the meaning of that Joker card, the manga source material, and when we can realistically expect to see Season 3.

1. The Big News: Is Borderland Season Season 3 Officially Confirmed by Netflix?

Let’s get the most important question out of the way first. After a long and agonizing wait, the signs are overwhelmingly positive. In late 2023, Netflix dropped a cryptic teaser featuring playing cards that spelled out “ALICE THREE.” While not a full-blown press release with dates and cast lists, in the world of streaming, this is as good as a confirmation.

Fast forward to 2025, and while a trailer is still under wraps, industry insiders and production reports confirm that pre-production is well underway. Netflix Japan has been notoriously tight-lipped, but the global success of the first two seasons made a third installment almost inevitable.

According to Forbes, Alice in Borderland Season 2 clocked over 200 million viewing hours in its first month alone, making it Netflix’s most-watched Japanese series ever. You simply don’t walk away from numbers like that.

So, yes, while we await the official trailer, it’s safe to say Season 3 is happening. The game is not over.

2. Decoding the Joker: What That Final Scene Really Meant

That final Joker card wasn’t just a random, spooky cliffhanger. In Haro Aso’s original manga, the Joker has a profound and specific meaning. It represents the Ferryman, a figure who stands as the bridge between the world of the living and the dead.

Think of the Borderlands as a form of purgatory. As we learned in the Season 2 finale, everyone in the games was a victim of a real-world meteor strike in Tokyo. Their consciousness was transported to this alternate dimension while their physical bodies fought for survival. The games were a cruel test of their will to live.

• Winning the games meant you chose to live, allowing you to return to the real world.
• Losing a game (or dying in the Borderlands) meant you gave up, and your body back in the real world succumbed to its injuries.

The Joker, therefore, isn’t necessarily a new “Game Master” in the traditional sense. He is the enigmatic ruler of the Borderlands, the entity that ferries souls back and forth. Seeing the Joker card implies that while.

Arisu and the others chose to return, their connection to that world might not be completely severed. It’s a reminder that they stood at the very edge of death and that the experience will forever be a part of them. But could it also be an invitation for one last game? That’s the million-dollar question.

3. What’s Left to Adapt? A Look at the Alice in Borderland: Retry Manga

This is where things get really exciting for fans. A common argument against a third season was that the show had already adapted the entire original manga series. And that’s true! Season 2’s finale, the Face Card games and the choice to return home, aligns perfectly with the manga’s conclusion.

However, author Haro Aso wasn’t quite finished with Arisu’s story. He later released a spin-off sequel called Alice in Borderland: Retry.

This is almost certainly the source material for Season 3.

What is Retry about?

The story picks up several years after the original. Arisu is now a clinical psychologist, married to Usagi, and they are expecting their first child. Life is normal, happy, and fulfilling. He has moved on, though the memories of the Borderlands linger like a faint scar.

Then, disaster strikes again. Arisu is involved in an accident and is shockingly pulled back into the Borderlands. But this time, it’s different. He is alone and must survive just one game—the “Nine of Hearts”—to return to his wife and unborn child.

The stakes have never been higher. Before, he was fighting for his own survival. Now, he’s fighting to get back to his family. This provides an incredibly powerful and emotional core for a new season. It’s no longer about a lost boy finding his purpose; it’s about a man fighting to protect the life he has built.

4. Plot Theories for Season 3: A New Game for an Older Arisu?

Based on the Retry manga, we can build a pretty solid theory for the plot of Season 3.

The season would likely open by showing us the lives of the survivors years after the events of Season 2. We’d see Arisu and Usagi’s happy life, Kuina embracing her freedom, and perhaps Chishiya back in the medical field, albeit with a new perspective on life’s value. This peaceful beginning would make the inevitable return to the Borderlands all the more jarring.

The central conflict would be Arisu’s solo journey through the “Nine of Hearts” game. Without Usagi and his friends to rely on, he would have to use all the skills and resilience he gained from his first ordeal. The Joker could be positioned as the orchestrator of this “encore” game, a final test to see if Arisu’s will to live remains as strong as it once was.

Another possibility is that Netflix expands on the Retry storyline. The manga itself is quite short. The show could use it as a framework while also exploring what happens to the other survivors. Are they also at risk of being pulled back? Or could it introduce a new cast of characters trapped alongside Arisu, forcing him into a leadership role once again?

A popular fan theory is that the Joker game won’t be for the players, but for the former citizens of the Borderlands (like the King of Spades or Mira, the Queen of Hearts) to fight for their own chance at reincarnation. This would be a fascinating twist, but the Retry plotline feels more personal and emotionally resonant for our main character.

5. Cast & Characters: Who Could We See Return?

A third season would be nothing without its core cast. The chemistry between Kento Yamazaki (Arisu) and Tao Tsuchiya (Usagi) was the heart of the show. Given the Retry plot, their return is non-negotiable. Recent schedules from their agencies in Japan suggest a potential filming window opened up in late 2024/early 2025, which aligns perfectly with a Season 3 production timeline.

What about the other fan favorites?

• Nijiro Murakami (Chishiya): His calm, cunning demeanor was a highlight. It would be fascinating to see how he navigates the real world post-games.
• Aya Asahina (Kuina): A true warrior. Seeing her living freely and happily would be a rewarding payoff for fans.
• Ayaka Miyoshi (Ann): The logical and resilient forensic scientist. Her fate was ambiguous, so her return would be a welcome confirmation of her survival.

Season 3 could feature these characters in flash-forwards or as part of a B-plot, showing their lives in the real world while Arisu is trapped back in his nightmare. This would provide a powerful contrast and keep the beloved ensemble cast involved.

6. Estimated Release Date: When Can We Expect to Return to the Borderlands?

This is the trickiest part to predict. Alice in Borderland is a massive production with complex stunts and significant VFX work. Let’s look at the past schedule:

• Season 1: Released December 2020
• Season 2: Released December 2022

There was a two-year gap between the first two seasons. Given the scale and the need to get the cast’s busy schedules aligned, a similar timeline is likely for Season 3. If pre-production ramped up in early 2025, we are probably looking at a release date in late 2026 or early 2027.

While that feels like a long wait, it’s good news. It means the creative team, led by director Shinsuke Sato, is taking the time to get it right rather than rushing out a subpar sequel.

Conclusion: The Final Bet

The evidence is clear: the game is not over. The cryptic “ALICE THREE” announcement, the global success, and the existence of the Alice in Borderland: Retry manga all point to a thrilling and emotionally charged third season.

The Joker card wasn’t just an ending; it was a promise. A promise of one more round, one final test of will. The question is no longer if Arisu will return to the Borderlands, but what he will have to sacrifice to get back home one last time. It’s a brilliant setup that honors the original story while giving fans the continuation they’ve been desperate for. 🚀

Now, we just have to wait. But if there’s one thing this show has taught us, it’s that survival requires patience.

What are your theories for Season 3? Let us know in the comments below!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Has Alice in Borderland Season 3 been officially confirmed by Netflix? As of mid-2025, while there isn’t a full-blown official press release with a date, Netflix released a teaser in late 2023 strongly hinting at a third season. Production is reportedly underway, so it is considered unofficially confirmed and in development.

2. What does the Joker card mean at the end of Season 2? In the manga, the Joker represents the Ferryman, the entity that presides over the Borderlands (a realm between life and death). Its appearance signifies that Arisu and the others have successfully chosen to return to life, but it also serves as a chilling reminder of their brush with death and the world they left behind. It’s the final, enigmatic piece of the puzzle.

3. Is the Alice in Borderland manga finished? Yes, the main manga series that Seasons 1 and 2 are based on is complete. However, the author later wrote a sequel spin-off called Alice in Borderland: Retry, which follows an older Arisu being pulled back for one final game. This is the likely source material for Season 3.

4. Will Arisu and Usagi be in Season 3? Absolutely. The story of Alice in Borderland is fundamentally about Arisu. The most likely plot for Season 3, based on the Retry manga, centers directly on Arisu and his relationship with Usagi, making the return of actors Kento Yamazaki and Tao Tsuchiya essential.