The third season of Bluey has felt like an eternity, and that’s because it practically has been. Debuting in its home nation of Australia in June 2022, the Heeler family’s extended season stretched even longer for international audiences, forced to wait even longer due to the rules of their distribution deals. Fans have been asking when they can get their next taste of the award-winning animated series, and the answer is — soonish. The wait is nearly over, and a brand new Bluey episode is arriving at last. The reward for our patience? The season finale will be extra long.

Here’s what we know about the Season 3 Bluey finale, expected to air in 2024.

According to a press release from the BBC, “The Sign” is an extended Bluey episode that will premiere globally next year on Disney+ and ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). Clocking in at a whopping 28 minutes, this is the longest continuous episode of Bluey ever released, as typical episodes are roughly seven minutes minus credits.

Bluey Season 3 Finale Trailer

Ludo Studio, the production company behind the hit animated series, added this statement:

“We’re so excited to share that a 28-minute special episode is coming in 2024. There’ll be lots of laughs, exciting guest voices, and definitely a few tears. We’re so incredibly proud of the awesome team behind the series and we can’t wait for Australia and the world to watch this very special Bluey episode with their family and friends.”

Written by the show’s creator, Joe Brumm, and directed by Richard Jeffery (who has directed 89 episodes previously), this will certainly be a very special episode of Bluey. The trailer gives very little away, neglecting to tell us what “the sign” is and how all of these disparate elements tie together. Either way, it looks like a ton of fun.

The BBC also provided a single image, seen above, which shows a heartfelt moment between mum Chilli and Bluey (while Bingo and her dangling feet seem to be taking a trip to the dunny).

Bluey Season 3 finale release date — for real life?

The Bluey Season 3 finale episode, “The Sign,” will premiere in Australia on ABC Kids and ABC-iview sometime in 2024. (That’s Australian Broadcast Company.) No exact date has been provided, yet. Accordingly, an international release date has yet to be confirmed, although producer Daley Pearson posted on his Instagram stating this would be a “day and date global release,” meaning simultaneous airings across the world. Fatherly will update this post pending any additional information regarding the timeline for a release on Disney+.

The last episode from season three to air in Australia, “Cricket,” arrived this past June. American fans are still 10 episodes behind, with their most recent episode being “The Decider,” which also dropped this summer. The delay is due to distribution deals in place overseas where the show is made. Hopefully, American fans will receive the missing 10 episodes before they get this 28-minute finale, or the entire batch will drop at once.

Fans have been hopeful this finale would be the wedding episode between Rad and Frisky (Bluey and Bingo’s respective Uncle and godmother), and that still could be the case, but this teaser doesn’t reveal a single shot of this pair who were last seen together in season two’s “Christmas Swim.”

After this season finale airs, the creative team for Bluey will be taking a break to relax and collect themselves, before diving into whatever comes next for the series.

Bluey is available to stream in the US on Disney+.