Finally! The Orville boldly heads for 'New Horizons' in Season 3 teaser trailer; sets 2022 premiere on Hulu

Away we go! Seth MacFarlane's Captain Ed Mercer and the rest of his intrepid starship crew are headed for "New Horizons" in Season 3 of The Orville. The hit comedy series — which boasts a fresh subtitle in the first teaser trailer for the first new batch of episodes in more than two years — will officially makes its return in March 2022 as a Hulu exclusive (after airing its first two seasons on Fox). 

Set 400 years in the future, the show (a Star Trek-inspired comedy molded in the vein of cultural touchstones like Galaxy Quest) follows the the U.S.S. Orville crew as they explore strange new worlds, plumb the mysteries of the universe, and navigate their own interpersonal relationships. MacFarlane, who also created the project, leads a core cast comprised of Adrianne Palicki, Penny Johnson Jerald, Scott Grimes, Peter Macon, J. Lee, Mark Jackson, Chad L. Coleman, Jessica Szohr, and Anne Winters. Season 3 is also set to feature one of Norm Macdonald's final performances.

Watch the teaser below:

Season 3 has been in the works since 2019 when MacFarlane, appearing at New York Comic Con, announced the show's migration to Hulu. Production was ultimately delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and didn't kick off until early 2021. Jordan Helman, Hulu's head of scripted originals, provided an update last month, assuring fans that a new season was still on the way and going so far as to voice his optimism that the streaming service is interested in a fourth installment.

“I believe the fans of the show that are coming to us from Fox will be deeply excited and satiated," Helman said. "I also think for new fans that maybe didn’t experience it, it will feel new to them.” 

In addition to serving as creator and writer, MacFarlane is also an executive producer along with Brannon Braga, David A. Goodman, Jon Cassar, Jason Clark, and Howard Griffith.

The Orville boldly returns for its third season on Hulu March 10, 2022.