Forget what you think you know about Stree 3. Producer Dinesh Vijan has already warned that the next chapter of the horror-comedy franchise will not go quite where audiences expect. But they’ll have to wait a little longer to find out.
At FICCI Frames 2026, the producer confirmed that Stree 3 will now arrive in 2028, moving from its previously announced release date of August 13, 2027. The delay comes as director Amar Kaushik first turns his attention to Mahavatar, which Vijan has described as Maddock Films’ most ambitious project yet.
Speaking at the event, Vijan said Kaushik remains central to the Stree franchise and will begin work on the third film only which is based on the story of Lord Parshurama. The film will be headlined by actor Vicky Kaushal.
“Amar Kaushik is the most integral part of Stree and the entire horror-comedy franchise. He’s directing our most ambitious film, Mahavatar, which is the story of Bhagwan Parshuram. He starts shooting at the end of January and finishes by June, and then we go on floors with Stree 3 towards the end of next year,” Vijan said.
That puts Stree 3 firmly in 2028. Vijan stopped short of revealing exactly when, though he suggested audiences could get the film as an Independence Day or Christmas treat.
Dinesh Vijan promises a spectacle
And if you’re already trying to guess what happens next, Vijan has a warning. He said the team has finished writing Stree 3, but he isn’t about to spoil what Kaushik has planned.
“So, Stree 3 arrives in 2028. And I think anything that you’ve thought of, remove it from your mind. If I say anything more, you’ll be very upset with me because he’s finished writing it, and he thinks I give away too many spoilers,” he said.
There is, however, one thing Vijan is willing to promise. The ingredients audiences have come to love about Stree aren’t going anywhere. “But everything that you’ve loved about Stree, you’ll get. Where it starts and where it ends, though, will be a complete revelation,” he added.
who was also at FICCI Frames 2026, looked back at the franchise’s unlikely beginnings and how far it has come since the first film.
Rao recalled that the original Stree was made as a small, independent film, but the team had plenty of faith in the story and Kaushik’s vision.
“The film started as a very independent, small-budget film, but we all had great faith in the story and the way Amar was on set, and he’s hilarious,” Rao said.
He also remembered Kaushik’s reaction when . According to Rao, the director was stunned by the numbers and even asked how the film had managed to earn so much. Rao’s response was simple: wasn’t that a good thing?
It certainly was. According to industry tracking site Sacnilk, Stree 2 earned Rs 857 crore gross worldwide, including Rs 713 crore gross in India. The film also became a talking point for its surprise cameos, particularly Akshay Kumar’s appearance.
Akshay Kumar’s return
Akshay Kumar is expected to return alongside Rao and Shraddha Kapoor in Stree 3. His character was introduced in a notorious figure from the franchise’s mythology.
Vijan has previously compared Kumar’s place in Maddock Films’ horror-comedy universe to Thanos in the Marvel films, hinting at the scale of his role across the interconnected franchise. Stree 2 also left the door open for his character to return in a much bigger capacity.
For now, though, Stree 3 has moved to 2028, while Kaushik gets busy with Mahavatar.
The wait may be longer than fans expected, but Vijan’s promise is clear: the familiar Stree ingredients will remain, while the beginning and ending of the next chapter could be anything but familiar.