Young Justice: Is Season 4 Still Happening?

(Welcome to Will There Be Another Season?, a series where we answer that question and explore what comes next.)

Fans of "Young Justice" were given quite the treat a couple of years back when Warner Bros. finally caved and offered up a third season of the beloved animated series. The advent of HBO Max made the long-awaited "Young Justice" season 3 possible. But that was more than two years ago. That begs the question: is "Young Justice" season 4 still happening? The good news is, yes, it absolutely is. But for those who have questions, we're here to provide answers.

Here is everything we know currently about the status of "Young Justice" season 4.

"Young Justice" is an animated series centering on some of the younger heroes in the DC Comics universe. This includes, but is not limited to, the likes of Nightwing, Aqualad, and Superboy. The show aired its first two seasons on Cartoon Network beginning in 2010. It was eventually, to the delight of a great many fans, revived by HBO Max for a third season, titled "Young Justice: Outsiders." And, as we'll explain in a second, that won't be the end of it for the young heroes of the DC universe.

Here is the synopsis for Young Justice:

Being a teenager means proving yourself over and over, to peers, parents, teachers, mentors and, ultimately, to yourself. But what if you're not just a normal teenager? What if you're a teenage superhero? How much harder will it be to prove yourself in a world of superpowers, super villains and super secrets? Are you ready to come of age in such a world? Are you ready for life or death rites of passage? Are you ready to join the ranks of the great heroes and prove you're worthy of the Justice League? That's exactly what the members of Young Justice, Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Superboy, Miss Martian and Artemis, will found out – whether they have what it takes to be a proven hero.

During San Diego Comic-Con back in 2019, series executive producers Brandon Vietti and Greg Weisman confirmed that a fourth season of "Young Justice" has been ordered by HBO Max. Given that "Outsiders" had concluded its run just a couple of weeks before the announcement was made, it seems Warner Bros. made quick work of the decision.

One of the last truly significant updates we got regarding the show came during last year's DC FanDome panel. While Vietti and Weisman didn't divulge much, it was confirmed that the fourth season would be titled "Young Justice: Phantoms." As for what that title means for the story? That is, more or less, anyone's guess at this stage. Though fans will surely speculate amongst themselves until we get some more concrete details.

The filmmakers have been hard at work on "Young Justice: Phantoms." One of the most recent updates we got, as of this writing, was from Greg Weisman. Taking to Twitter, he revealed that 18 of the season's 24 total episodes have been completely finished. That also confirmed that we are getting a full load of episodes in the new season, which is good news for those who have been impatiently waiting for more than two years now.

Update: Eighteen episodes in the can. Six more in post-production. Last two still being animated. #YoungJusticePhantoms

— Greg Weisman (@Greg_Weisman) September 3, 2021

Beyond that, it is expected that the core cast members will be back for "Young Justice" season 4. This includes, but is certainly not limited to, Jesse McCartney as Dick Grayson/Robin/Nightwing, Nolan North as Conner Kent/Superboy, Danica McKellar as M'gann M'orzz/Miss Martian, Khary Payton as Kaldur'ahm/Aqualad, and Stephanie Lemelin as Artemis Crock/Tigress.

The big question right now is when precisely we will get to see "Young Justice: Phantoms." We know that it will be on HBO Max, though no release date has been firmed up at this time. That being said, DC FanDome is just around the corner and would provide the perfect opportunity to confirm a release date — and maybe even give us a trailer. At this stage, we can expect to see it in late 2021 or early 2022.