The Camera Rolls Again – Season 3 Filming Officially Underway
Tracker, CBS’s surprise procedural hit starring Justin Hartley, is officially back in production for its highly anticipated third season. After a breakout debut in 2024 and a successful second season that solidified its primetime dominance, Tracker has now become one of the most-watched scripted shows on American television.
Filming for Season 3 began in early July 2025 in Vancouver, British Columbia—a location that has served as a stand-in for numerous American locales throughout the show’s run. The city’s geographic diversity has allowed Tracker to maintain its signature episodic format, where every case takes Colter Shaw to a different part of the country. From dense forests to urban sprawl, Vancouver’s cinematic versatility continues to help bring the nomadic energy of the show to life.
Executive producer and series lead Justin Hartley was spotted on location with a returning cast and crew, signaling that CBS is sticking with the creative team that made the show such a standout. According to a statement from the network, production is expected to last until mid-autumn, positioning the show for an early 2026 premiere.
Season 3 to Expand Colter Shaw’s World
Season 3 is shaping up to be the most ambitious yet. Showrunner Elwood Reid has hinted that this new chapter will deepen the serialized storytelling, something that fans have long hoped for. While previous seasons balanced weekly cases with slow-burning mysteries about Colter’s past, Season 3 may tip the scale toward long-form suspense and ongoing character development.
One of the central threads expected to continue involves Colter’s late father and the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death. Season 2 left off with major revelations about a hidden manuscript, secret research, and the suspicion that someone powerful doesn’t want Colter to uncover the truth. Season 3 will likely pick up right where those threads left off, and sources close to the show suggest that a more serialized structure could dominate the first half of the season.
“Colter is going to be pushed to the edge this season,” Hartley told TVLine in a recent interview. “We’re going to explore what happens when he’s the one being hunted.”
A Familiar Formula—Now Sharpened and Elevated
Despite its expanding narrative scope, Tracker isn’t abandoning what made it a hit in the first place: gripping standalone cases. The creative team confirmed that Season 3 will continue to present weekly “tracker missions,” where Colter is called upon to find missing people, uncover hidden truths, or outsmart those who want to remain in the shadows.
But with the stakes rising in Colter’s personal journey, those missions may begin to intertwine more closely with his own history. Viewers should expect fewer throwaway characters and more recurring faces—both allies and enemies—who tie into the larger mythology.
Each episode, running approximately 42 minutes, will remain a blend of psychological insight, physical survival, and moral complexity, bolstered by the show’s rich visuals and haunting score.
Expanded Episode Order and Network Confidence
CBS has yet to release a concrete episode count, but insiders suggest that Season 3 will likely consist of 20 to 22 episodes—significantly more than Season 1’s leaner 14. This expanded order reflects the network’s confidence in the show’s long-term viability and its growing fan base.
Moreover, Tracker has consistently topped ratings charts, averaging over 17 million viewers weekly in Season 2. In an era where streaming often dominates media headlines, Tracker is proof that traditional network television still has the power to build watercooler buzz and a loyal audience.
Its success has also raised discussions within Paramount (CBS’s parent company) about potential spinoffs or digital-only side stories for Paramount+. While no official announcement has been made, a shared universe involving other “trackers” or a deeper dive into Colter’s family history is reportedly under consideration.
Release Date Speculation and What Fans Should Expect Next
If production continues on schedule, Tracker Season 3 is expected to premiere in January or February of 2026, once CBS’s mid-season lineup reshuffle is finalized. That would allow the show to retain its Sunday 8 p.m. ET slot, where it has comfortably outperformed competing network dramas.
Fans can expect teasers and trailers by late fall 2025, along with interviews, first-look stills, and possibly early screenings at New York Comic Con or the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour.
As Season 3 looms, buzz is building. Online fan forums are rife with theories about Colter’s brother Russell, the mysterious organization that may be tracking Colter, and how the show could evolve into a larger saga of justice, trauma, and redemption.
A Defining Moment for the Series
Season 3 could be the pivot point where Tracker transforms from a solid procedural into a long-running network icon. With creative risks, an expanded format, and a deepening mythology, CBS is investing in Tracker as more than just another crime drama—it’s positioning the series as a modern classic.
Justin Hartley’s gritty, emotionally grounded performance remains the show’s anchor, and if early production reports are any indication, Tracker isn’t just preparing for another season—it’s preparing to leave a legacy.
