For some, summer is synonymous with beach days, ice cream cones, and vacations. For television fans, though, summer has become synonymous with The Bear after it debuted on Hulu in 2022. After season 3 ended in a cliffhanger, fans have been waiting eagerly for The Bear season 4 release date so that they can find out what’s really going on with Carmen (“Carmy”), the restaurant, and that anxiety-provoking review in the Chicago Tribune. Here’s everything we know so far about the premiere, including new rumors, possible plotlines, and, of course, ‘The Bear’ season 4 release date.
What is The Bear about?
The restaurant dramedy follows a successful fine-dining chef Carmen (played by Jeremy Allen White) who returns home to Chicago after his brother’s passing to take over his Italian beef shop, The Bear. Since its premiere in 2022, The Bear has captivated viewers every summer, and even garnered 21 Primetime Emmy awards.
The show’s third season, which aired in June 2024, left fans on the edge of their seats after ending on a major cliffhanger. Luckily for watchers, FX renewed The Bear for a fourth season before the season 3 premiere, giving the newest batch of episodes and storylines plenty of time to marinate ahead of its 2025 release.
What happened in The Bear season 3 finale?
The Bear‘s third season ended with a pivotal restaurant review by The Chicago Tribune — except the audience doesn’t know much beyond a few key words (we did analyze what we could see last year). According to the bits and pieces shared in the season 3 finale, the restaurant is both “simple” and “complex,” it’s “excellent,” but “stale,” and it’s “innovative” but “confusing.” Viewers don’t know if these conflicting phrases are exactly those used to describe The Bear in the review, or if they’re just a reflection of Carmy’s anxiety about the restaurant.
While we don’t have clarification yet, the calls from Uncle Jimmy (played by Oliver Platt) about the review aren’t a good sign for The Bear (FKA “The Original Beef”), nor is Carmy yelling expletives fueled by frustration. And, as Uncle Jimmy stated in season 3, a bad review from the major publication could likely cause him to close the restaurant.
Beyond restaurant turmoil, Carmy’s intense behavior throughout the recent season has alienated him from almost everyone, including restaurant staff and partners, plus a romantic interest. Hopefully, season 4 provides more clarity about where Carmy stands in his personal life, as well as some more information about the pivotal review.
When is The Bear season 4 coming out?
Last year, FX head John Landgraf told Deadline that The Bear season 4 would debut sometime in or around June 2025, roughly one year after the premiere of season 3.
Following reports that seasons 3 and 4 were filmed back-to-back (which lines up with the renewal for two seasons ahead of season 3’s release), Landgraf confirmed that “most” of The Bear season 4 was already filmed. In February 2025, the cast and crew of the show were spotted filming in various neighborhoods around Chicago neighborhoods – likely to complete the remaining scenes.
How do I watch The Bear season 4?
Luckily, Landgraf’s guess was spot on. While speaking to Omelete at an event for Marvel’s upcoming film, The Bear‘s co-showrunner Joanna Calo revealed the release date for the new season. According to Calo, The Bear season 4 will air on Sunday, June 15.
And, based on the show-runner’s mention of the new season airing “everywhere,” it looks like season 4 will follow suit with prior seasons, landing on Hulu in the United States and Disney+ internationally this June.