Adult Swim Confirms Return of Primal Season 3 from Creator Genndy Tartakovsky

We were blown away by the gritty, emotional conclusion of animator Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal on Adult Swim last fall, but it was hard not to be a little sad that one of the best animated shows in recent memory was concluding after its second season. Regardless, Primal had told a complete story, bringing the duo of caveman Spear and Tyrannosaurus Rex Fang all the way from grudging allies to beloved partners. With Spear’s demise, it seemed that Primal had run its course, though the hopefulness of its ending–revealing the child of Spear and Mira had grown up to become a dinosaur rider herself–did leave the door open to more storytelling. Speaking with Tartakovsky about Unicorn: Warriors Eternal only a few months ago, he hinted to Paste that he might still have more Primal stories to tell. And now we have the confirmation we’ve been waiting for: Primal Season 3 is a go, with Tartakovsky back at the helm.

“It’s happening!” exclaimed Tartakovsky Adult Swim’s press release. “Primal has become a contagious disease that I don’t ever want to cure. Every episode flows out like an unstoppable force beyond my control. Prepare yourselves Primal fans for Season 3 is coming!”

The hyper-violent but emotionally nuanced prehistoric adventure has been critically acclaimed since its arrival, winning five Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Animated Program. According to Adult Swim, the show has become one of the most successful animated series on Max, its exclusive streaming home. A third season would presumably involve a time jump to follow the daughter of Spear and Mira–as well as the dinosaur offspring of Fang–as they confront their own challenges in the savage world they call home. We can likely expect it to feature the same combination of thrilling action and wordless pathos that is Tartakovsky’s artistic calling card.

“Most shows would have a hard time continuing after the main character is killed off, but this isn’t most shows,” said Adult Swim president Michael Ouweleen in a statement. “Leave it to Genndy and team to keep us all in suspense as Primal continues its adventure.”

There’s no word yet on the kind of timeline we’re looking at for Primal Season 3, though the press release notes that production is underway. Perhaps if we’re lucky, we’ll have more concrete information on when to expect this new season by the end of 2023, but either way it’s likely to be a difficult wait. We’ll bring you more information on the unexpected revival of Primal as it arrives.