Newest Sweet Magnolias Season 4 Update Confirms Fans' Concerns

Summary

• With the WGA strike over, the writers have commenced work on Season 4 of Sweet Magnolias.
• The latest update reports that filming could begin as early as January 2024.
• However, the shooting time will be extended, which means that the season won't be released until sometime in 2025.

With the end of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, not only did the workers in the industry breathe a sigh of relief, but so did movie and TV audiences, as work on popular movies and shows returned in earnest. In particular, production resumed on one of Netflix 's most cozy, if sometimes wild, dramas, Sweet Magnolias.

With the strikes over, writers almost immediately began work on the next season, adapting Sherryl Woods' novels and bringing new trials and tribulations to the small South Carolina town of Serenity, as well as happy moments of friendship and mutual support.

But it looks like fans will have to hold on to their margarita ingredients for a little while longer, as the beloved trio, played by JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Heather Headley and Brooke Elliott, won't be seen on our small screens for a while yet. The new update suggests that filming will begin very soon, but that doesn't mean the release date is getting any closer.

First, the Good News: We Know When Filming Will Begin!

Before we get to the disappointing news, dear fans, let's talk about something a little more positive. After Season 3 premiered on July 20, 2023, many of us were concerned about whether Netflix would renew Sweet Magnolias for at least one more season due to declining ratings. But our worries were unfounded, as the show managed to attract a whole bunch of new unique viewers. As a result, the show was renewed for a fourth season in October of this year.

Since then, there have not been many updates regarding the production of Season 4, apart from speculations from both the cast and the fans. And now our pleas have been answered: What's on Netflix, citing ProductionWeekly, has managed to learn a time window for when filming will begin. Apparently, the active phase of production will kick off in less than a month, in January 2024.

Season 4 Won't Be Out for a While, Though

But there is also some bad news. First, it's worth noting that each season of Sweet Magnolias took about 3-4 months to film, and including post-production, they were released about 6-8 months after principal photography was completed. For example, Season 2 was filmed from April to July 2021 and released in February 2023. Season 3 — from July to October 2022, with release almost a year later, in July 2023.

Season 4 will take much longer to film, as it is expected to be completed by July 2024. The exact reasons for the delay are unknown: it could be due to the larger number of episodes in Season 4 (does that mean it will be the final season, or have the writers decided to focus on more storylines?), but it's also possible that the production team and cast are simply working at a more measured pace.

Either way, Season 4 will not be released for quite some time. An optimistic assessment could be that the completion of filming in July means that Netflix intends to give the season the same release window as Season 2. Therefore, Season 4 could be released in February 2025.

However, it's far more realistic to assume that longer filming means longer post-production time. In other words, the upcoming season could even be released in the summer or fall of 2025. Looks like we do need to stock up on margaritas while we wait after all, dear friends, and start either reading the novels or re-watching old seasons of our favorite show.

Source: What's on Netflix.