Warning: The below features spoilers for season two of Bridgerton.
We hope you aren't burning for more Benedict Bridgerton.
Season two of Bridgerton just dropped on Netflix on March 25, but we're already looking to the future. Specifically, we're trying to figure out which Bridgerton will be taking over for current leading man Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey). And, while seasons one and two followed the book order of Julia Quinn's Bridgerton book series—with Phoebe Dynevor's Daphne Bridgerton serving as the lead for season one—we think that season three will jump to book four, titled Romancing Mister Bridgerton, for inspiration.
If we're correct, it would mean that means Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) not Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) would be stepping into the spotlight. What's even more interesting? Romancing Mister Bridgerton follows Colin as he finally realizes that Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) is worth courting and falling in love with.
Now before you Benedict fans start revolting, please know that our theory is not an unfounded one! For starters, when we asked season two leading lady Simone Ashley to discuss Bridgerton's future, she exclusively shared that she was "super excited for the world to see Nicola and Luke rock it."
And then, when we chatted with Bridgerton creator Chris Van Dusen, he admitted that he was looking forward to exploring the plot of Romancing Mr. Bridgerton. "We did a lot of work in these first two seasons as far as setting up Penelope and Colin's love story," he told E! News. "There's so much yearning and so much angst there that it's going to be really satisfying when the show gets to really focus on the two of them."
Now, in regard to how closely season three will follow the books, that remains unclear. Newton even confessed, "We have no idea how close they're going to stay to future relationships or how it's gonna go."
Though he stayed tight-lipped on the possible promotion to leading-man, he did share that he was "really excited" to explore his love story plotline one day, adding, "You never know what storylines are gonna overlap. So maybe, we have a shift in time. Obviously, this year, we had flashback stuff."
Of course, the series has already proved that it isn't afraid to depart from its source material.
Case in point: It's in book four that Penelope is revealed as the Ton's gossip, Lady Whistledown—something viewers learn in the season one finale of the show. And then, at the end of season two, Penelope's best friend Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie), discovered the true identity of Lady Whistledown, sparking a heartbreaking fight and fallout between the two characters.
To add to the drama, Penelope then heard Eloise's brother Colin making fun of her to a group of gentlemen. So Penelope and Colin may have some fences that need mending before they jump into courting next season.
On where her character stands with the Bridgertons moving forward, Coughlan teased to E! News, "I think she still absolutely loves and adores the Bridgertons and wants to be one ultimately. It's gonna be so interesting to see where she's gonna go from here."
You can say that again!
Dear reader, while we wait for word on season three, we invite you to take a look at our ranking of the Bridgerton books based on on-screen potential.
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Bridgerton season two is available to stream on Netflix.