FX has officially renewed the acclaimed culinary drama The Bear for a fifth season, confirming the show's ongoing popularity and critical success. The announcement came on July 1, 2025, less than a week after the release of all 10 episodes of Season 4 on FX on Hulu, underscoring the series’ strong viewership and fanbase worldwide.
Since its debut, The Bear has captivated audiences with its raw, emotional storytelling centered around the intense and chaotic world of a Chicago fine dining kitchen. Created by Christopher Storer, the series follows Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri), and Richie Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they navigate the pressures of running their restaurant while confronting personal demons and complicated relationships.
FX Chairman John Landgraf praised the show’s enduring appeal, stating, “The Bear continues to be a fan favorite worldwide and their response to this season—as seen through incredibly high viewership—has been as spectacular as any of its previous seasons.” He added, “Year-in and year-out, Chris Storer, the producers, cast and crew make The Bear one of the best shows on television, and we are excited that they will continue to tell this magnificent story.”
Season 4, which dropped on June 25, 2025, has received a somewhat divided response from critics and audiences alike. While earlier seasons boasted near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes scores—100% for Season 1, 99% for Season 2, and 89% for Season 3—Season 4 landed at 84%. Audience scores on Popcornmeter also reflect this division, with Season 4 scoring 66% compared to the higher ratings of the earlier seasons.
Despite the mixed reviews, fans have remained deeply engaged, streaming the new episodes in large numbers. The show's reputation for emotional depth, sharp writing, and authentic character development continues to resonate. IndieWire’s Ben Travers described Season 4 as “still pretty fun; an emotionally rich restaurant drama with great food, a few laughs, and lots of heart,” though he also noted it felt like a “prolonged story propped up by its talented cast.”
The Season 4 finale left viewers with a dramatic cliffhanger that has set the stage for a transformative Season 5. Carmy reveals his intention to exit the restaurant business, quietly removing his name from the partnership agreement and entrusting the future to Sydney, Richie, and Carmy’s sister Natalie. This passing of the torch signals a changing of the guard and promises to explore new dynamics and challenges in the upcoming season.
Within the finale’s intense three-way confrontation, Carmy admits to Sydney and Richie that he attended his late brother Mikey’s funeral but couldn’t bear to stay inside, a moment that deepens the show’s exploration of grief and personal struggle. Sydney accepts the leadership role but insists on an equal partnership with Richie and Natalie, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and shared responsibility.
While the renewal announcement is cause for celebration, it also raises questions about how the busy schedules of the main cast will impact production. Jeremy Allen White is set to portray Bruce Springsteen in the highly anticipated biopic Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, releasing in October 2025. Ayo Edebiri has multiple film projects lined up, including Luca Guadagnino’s After the Hunt alongside Julia Roberts, releasing in October, and James L. Brooks’ Ella McCay premiering in December. Ebon Moss-Bachrach is making his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as Ben Grimm, aka The Thing, in The Fantastic Four: First Steps in July 2025 and is currently filming Avengers: Doomsday in London, with plans to appear in Avengers: Secret Wars.
These commitments have previously complicated scheduling; Seasons 3 and 4 were filmed back-to-back to accommodate the cast’s rising careers. Despite these challenges, FX expects Season 5 to premiere in 2026, continuing the tradition of releasing new seasons around the Emmy voting period to maximize award season visibility.
The Bear has been a powerhouse at the Emmys, making history in 2024 with 23 nominations and winning 11 awards—the most ever for a comedy series in a single year. Season 3 is also anticipated to be a major contender in the upcoming awards season, reinforcing the show's critical acclaim and industry recognition.
As fans await further details about Season 5’s production timeline and potential new cast additions, the show’s future storylines promise to delve deeper into the evolving dynamics of the restaurant and its characters. The creative decisions ultimately rest with Christopher Storer, who has expressed a commitment to quality storytelling over quantity, emphasizing that he would prefer one great season to multiple mediocre ones.
With the stakes higher than ever, The Bear Season 5 is poised to continue its blend of culinary artistry, emotional complexity, and gritty realism. Whether Carmy will remain at the helm or fully pass the torch remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: fans and critics alike are eager for another serving of this compelling drama.
