The countdown to the third series of Killing Eve has been on ever since the credits rolled on the last episode of series two – which, for some binge-watchers, was just eight hours after the whole lot was uploaded onto the BBC iPlayer on 14 September last year.
With anticipation mounting as new details about the upcoming season continue to trickle through, here’s everything we can tell you about it so far...
First, lets rewind a little – how did series two end?
The latter part of series two of Killing Eve saw Eve and Villanelle team up to track down tech boss Aaron Peel, who MI6 believed was about to sell a lethal weapon.
Villanelle went undercover to live with Peel, while Eve monitored the pair from a hotel room in Rome.
Howeer, the pair had strict instructions not to kill him, which proved to be a test for a bloodthirsty Villanelle.
After hearing Villanelle’s safeword, Eve rushed to Peel’s mansion to rescue her, blowing her cover. He then tried to persuade Villanelle to kill Eve and team up with him, but she slit his throat.
Having gone against MI6′s instructions not to kill him, Eve’s boss Carolyn revealed that killing Peel had actually been their aim all along – they wanted him dead but without being directly responsible.
Villanelle’s handler Konstantin, who has a past relationship with Carolyn, also informed her that she the operation had been set up.
Back at the hotel, Villanelle was attacked by the 12’s Raymond. Witnessing this, Eve then killed him with an axe, much to to Villanelle’s delight.
Eve then discovered that Villanelle was in possession of a gun the whole time, meaning she never had to kill Raymond.
After Eve ran out, Villanelle confessed her love to Eve, but she walked away, prompting an enraged Villanelle to shoot her in the back and leave her for dead.
So, what will series three be about?
We could be wrong here, but we’d say there is a 99.99% chance Eve is not dead and will live to see another day.
Sandra Oh, who plays Eve, recently went as far as to spoil the cliffhanger in an interview with Porter magazine, saying: “So, obviously I didn’t die.”
While no longer in charge of the show, season two showrunner Emerald Fennell has also told how she sees the characters developing in the new series.
She recently told The Hollywood Reporter: “As a writer and as someone who’s obsessed with the show in general and with Jodie and Sandra and their electric chemistry, of course we all want them to do a Bonnie and Clyde and a sort of Natural Born Killers and go on a rampage wearing couture,” he said.
″[But] what ruins it for Eve, for both of them, really, is it becoming real...
“It remains to be seen to what extent Villanelle has been changed by Eve.”
Jodie Comer, who plays Villanelle, has hinted her actions in the series finale will lead her to reassess her relationship with Eve.
She told Entertainment Weekly: “It’s a question of: How much does Eve mean to Villanelle? Everyone who watches the show has a different view and their own interpretation, and they feel that it is love and it is deep and it is meaningful.
“And then there was another side to it that is very twisted. Does Villanelle understand the concept of love? She’s very warped in relationships and her connections to people.”
Jodie also said series three will delve into Villanelle’s past and show some of her “vulnerability”.
Speaking to British Vogue, she said: “The audience love what they love about her, but it’s been nice to show a different side to that. Maybe a little bit of vulnerability.”
It has also been reported that there will be a wedding in series three, with Villanelle walking down the aisle with a mystery Spanish bride.
What else is new?
In keeping with the tradition of the last two series, this run of episodes has been headed up by a new female show runner.
The first was obviously helmed by creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge, with former Call The Midwife star Emerald Fennell taking over as head writer for series two.
Series three will see fellow British writer Suzanne Heathcote take over, with Phoebe saying of her appointment in a statement: “I’m very excited that the Killing Eve baton is being passed onto another incredible writer for season three.
“We can sleep soundly knowing these characters are safe in Suzanne Heathcote’s hilariously murderous hands.”
Who is in the cast?
As mentioned, it is highly likely Sandra Oh is back as MI6 agent Eve Polastri, while Jodie Comer reprises her role as murderous Villanelle.
Owen McDonnell, who plays Eve’s husband Niko, has also hinted he will be returning, despite his character being left in a rather bad way by Villanelle when we last saw him.
Having been central to the climax of series two, it’s highly likely Fiona Shaw will reprise her role as MI6 boss Carolyn Martens alongside Kim Bodnia as Villanelle’s handler Konstantin.
It has also been confirmed Danny Sapani (The Crown, Harlots) and Harriet Walter (Succession, The Crown) have joined the cast in roles that are yet to be revealed.
When will it be on?
Killing Eve will return to US screens on 26 April on BBC America, but once again it looks likely UK fans will have to wait until the series has finished airing over there to see it here.
The show was given a US premiere for the first two series because it is actually an American production, rather than British. And because the BBC then choose to dump the entire series on iPlayer for UK fans to binge, it means they have to wait until all the episodes have aired in the US before uploading them in order to avoid spoilers flooding the US market.
As with previous series, it’s likely the series will also air weekly on BBC One, but the broadcaster is yet to confirm an exact date for traditional broadcast or iPlayer streaming.
Is there a trailer I can watch yet?
As luck would have it, yes there is, and it sees Villanelle and Eve sporting blood red dresses as the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah and Dies irae in Verdi’s Requiem plays.
Watch it below...
And what about series four?
Good news – series four has already been commissioned, and although there’s no fixed air date yet, it is widely expected to debut in 2021.