If a recent a report is to be believed, ABC’s Designated Survivor will once again get to see the light as the once-canceled show has been renewed for season 3.
According to Production Weekly’s recent listing ( a website that has a good record on posting credible information), ABC’s popular political drama series Designated Survivor is in active development. Moreover, it also states that season 3’s production will take place in the same location as the last season which is Toronto.
UPDATE: It was recently confirmed by mainstream movie news websites like THR that Designated Survivor has in fact been renewed but in the hands of Netflix and new showrunner Neal Baer is set to take over. Furthermore, a recent update from the same listings website has revealed that the project will go into filming on October 9 and is expected to wrap on February 7.
Earlier in May, it was announced that Designated Survivor was sadly canceled by ABC network. A report from Variety had stated that Kiefer Sutherland’s contract was one of the reasons behind the cancellation as he called for production to be moved from Toronto to Los Angeles for season 3.
The change in location would have raised the production costs dramatically and wouldn’t have played in the network’s favor. But it looks like that issue has been worked out since the new report states that season 3 will return to Toronto for filming.
It’s currently unknown if Netflix could have played any part in the revival of the series. The streaming service has a deal with ABC for the show’s international rights and its possible that an increase in following for the series’ season 1 and 2 could have helped in getting the show renewed but this is a mere speculation.
It looks like Keith Eisner remains as the showrunner for Designated Survivor season 3. No cast members have been listed so the network will have to figure out on getting the team back together and set a production start date that doesn’t conflict their schedule.
The report also states Designated Survivor season 3’s working title as ‘The White House Project’. Sutherland also has an executive producer title along with David Guggenheim, Simon Kinberg, Mark Gordon and others.
Source: Production Weekly