Happy 828 Day! Manifest showrunner Jeff Rake celebrated the occasion by dropping hints about season 3 and revealing whether fans should just let go of some out-there theories.
One such conspiracy involves the true identity of The Major (Elizabeth Marvel) and her potential connection to Michaela (Melissa Roxburgh). “Despite some people seeing a slight physical resemblance and the fact that these women wear a similar necklace, The Major is not Michaela from the future, I can officially declare,” Rake clarified in a Friday, August 28, Twitter video.
Happy 828 Day, Manifesters! Here’s:
8️⃣ things to look forward to in Season 3
2️⃣ fan theories debunked
8️⃣ things you may have noticed in Season 2 pic.twitter.com/kaSmwxTsEP— Manifest (@NBCManifest) August 28, 2020
The executive producer also shot down the idea that the NBC series takes place in an alternate reality. “The world is a computer simulation and the disappearance of Flight 828 was a glitch in the software — debunked,” he said. “This is not happening in any kind of Matrix-like universe. I assure you our story is happening in the real world.”
Since season 3 has been delayed until 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Rake shared some spoilers to keep viewers engaged in the interim. For one, the story will pick up “about three months” after the events of the season 2 finale, which aired in April.
Newlyweds Michaela and Zeke (Matt Long) “move into a new place with an unexpected third party,” while her ex and colleague, Jared (J.R. Ramirez), finds himself in “a complicated new relationship with a love interest.” The show will also introduce a character from Grace’s (Athena Karkanis) side of the family, and as Rake put it, “Let the fireworks begin.”
The writer was vaguer when it came to new developments surrounding the Flight 828 mystery. “A long-lost character will make a shocking reappearance,” he teased.
Rake added: “A new passenger who we’ve never met will be introduced in the season premiere and will become integral to our series-long story.”
Manifest, which debuted in September 2018, follows a group of passengers on a flight that disappeared for five years before showing back up with lots of questions in tow. The show also stars Josh Dallas (Ben), Parveen Kaur (Saanvi), Luna Blaise (Olive) and Jack Messina (Cal).
Season 3 of Manifest premieres on NBC in 2021.
