TV SERIES · 2023–present · USA
Lioness
- Created by
- Taylor Sheridan
- Network
- Paramount+
- Seasons
- 3
- Episodes
- 24
- Studio
- Blossom Films, MTV Entertainment Studios, 101 Studios
30 archived facts 4 topics 2 sources Last reviewed Sep 2026
Cruz Manuelos, a rough-around-the-edges but passionate young Marine, is recruited to join the CIA's Lioness Engagement Team to help bring down a terrorist organization from within. Joe, the station chief of the Lioness program, is tasked with training, managing and leading her female undercover operatives.
Summary: TMDB
All facts (30)
- #001
Lioness was announced in September 2020 as one of the new productions planned for the Paramount+ programming slate.
- #002
Lioness was created by Ilse van Hemert and developed by Ochre Moving Pictures. Its first episode aired on 28 January 2021 on M-Net. M-Net announced the cast on 8 January 2021; Shannon Esra was joined by Jacques Bessenger, Nokuthula Mavuso, Frank Rautenbach, Gerald Steyn, Joshua Eady, Fiona Ramsay, Natasha Sutherland and Terrence Ngwila.
- #003
Taylor Sheridan created Lioness and served as its executive producer through his Bosque Ranch Productions banner.
- #004
Lead actress Shannon Esra was nominated for Best Actress in a TV Drama at the 2022 South African Film and Television Awards.
- #005
The global entertainment company 101 Studios, a co-producer of Yellowstone, also backed Lioness alongside Taylor Sheridan's Bosque Ranch Productions.
- #006
In December 2022 it was announced that the series had been renewed for a second season; the second season premiered on 26 January 2023. Vinette Ebrahim, Carl Beukes, Theo Landey and Ayden Croy joined the cast of the second season. Principal photography on the second season was completed in May 2022.
- #007
The Paramount+ brand was created through the 2019 merger of CBS and Viacom and launched in 2021, the service that later carried Lioness.
- #008
Fugitive made a deal with MultiChoice to present the series at MIPCOM in Cannes, while Arrested Industries acquired the rights to the series.
- #009
Lioness was renewed for a second season in May 2024.
- #010
Lioness received a third-season renewal on October 1, 2025.
- #011
After Paramount Global merged with Skydance Media in August 2025 to form Paramount Skydance, MTV Entertainment Studios was folded into Paramount Television Studios before the third season of Lioness went into production.
- #012
Zoe Saldaña was cast to star in Lioness in February 2022 and also joined the series as an executive producer alongside Nicole Kidman.
- #013
Taylor Sheridan became showrunner of Lioness in June 2022, taking over from Thomas Brady after the show's writers' room concluded.
- #014
On May 9, 2024, it was reported that Zoe Saldaña, Laysla De Oliveira, Michael Kelly and Nicole Kidman would return for the second season of Lioness, with Morgan Freeman promoted to a series regular role.
- #015
After Lioness was officially renewed on May 9, 2024, Laysla De Oliveira posted on Instagram about her excitement to return as Cruz.
- #016
Thad Luckinbill was announced on May 17, 2024, as promoted to a series regular for the second season of Lioness, and Genesis Rodriguez joined the cast in an undisclosed capacity a few days later.
- #017
Max Martini, Kirk Acevedo and Patricia de Leon were cast in recurring roles for the second season of Lioness on September 13, 2024, and Taylor Sheridan was later noted to have played Cody, a KT tape-wrapped Delta Force Operator who assured an iffy Joe.
- #018
In October 2025, it was announced that Ian Bohen, a frequent collaborator of Taylor Sheridan, would join the cast of Lioness as a Delta Force operator in a series regular role.
- #019
Elizaveta Neretin joined the cast of Lioness in a recurring capacity for the third season on January 29, 2026.
- #020
In May 2023, the series was announced to have been retitled Special Ops: Lioness from Lioness, though the title card was left unchanged.
- #021
Lioness returned to its original title when it was renewed for a second season.
- #022
Andrew Lockington composed the soundtrack for Lioness, after having worked with Taylor Sheridan on Mayor of Kingstown.
- #023
Lakeshore Records released the soundtrack for Lioness.
- #024
Production on the second season of Lioness officially began in May 2024, moving from Baltimore, Maryland, to Texas.
- #025
Taylor Sheridan was reported to be directing the third episode of Lioness's second season.
- #026
On August 29, 2024, Kelly announced that filming of Lioness's second season had been wrapped.
- #027
Production of the third season of Lioness began in October 2025.
- #028
Location filming for Lioness in Fort Worth started in October 2025.
- #029
Filming on Lioness concluded on March 25, 2026.
- #030
Lioness is very loosely based on the premise of Team Lioness, a program in which female soldiers were sent out with patrols in Iraq in 2003.
Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
Sources for the entries on this page
- Wikipedia Wikipedia (EN)
- Wikipedia Lioness (American TV series) — Wikipedia
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