13 Reasons Why season 4: Release date, trailer and everything we know

13 Reasons Why season 4
(Image credit: Netflix)
13 Reasons Why season 4 release date

All 10 episodes of 13 Reasons Why season 4 will be released on June 5. Add it to your watch list as a reminder.

Get ready to say a tearful goodbye to 13 Reasons Why season 4 of the Netflix teen drama. Netflix announced that the 13 Reasons Why finale season will debut in June, so it's almost time to bid farewell to the Liberty High School seniors, who are preparing for graduation. 

The fourth and final season will consist of 10 episodes, all of which will run for 60 minutes. Star Dylan Minnette returns as Clay Jensen, as does fellow cast members including Alisha Boe as Jessica Davis, Brandon Flynn as Justin Foley, Ross Butler as Zach Dempsey and Miles Heizer as Alex Standall. 

As the streaming service's official synopsis reads, "But before they say goodbye for good, they'll have to keep a dangerous secret buried and face heartbreaking choices that could impact their futures forever."

13 Reasons Why premiered in 2017 and immediately generated buzz for its realistic, often unflinching exploration of modern-day teen issues, including bullying, sexual assault and depression. The show also drew criticism for graphic portrayals of suicide and rape. 

In the first season, Clay Jensen (Minnette) is given a set of mysterious cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford), a classmate who killed herself. Her audio diary recounts her troubled journey and the reasons why committed suicide. Season 2 delved into the legal battle between Hannah's parents and the school system and Clay's quest to expose the toxic culture at Liberty High. And season 3 centered on the murder of popular jock Bryce Walker and its ripple effects on all the students. 

Season 4 will conclude the story, with Clay and his classmates now seniors and nearly finished with school. Here's everything we know about the final season of 13 Reasons Why.

13 Reasons Why season 4 trailer

On May 20, Netflix dropped the 13 Reasons Why season 4 trailer, which teases how Clay Jensen and his Liberty High cohorts deal with the fallout from Monty's death at the end of the third season. Suspicions and accusations swirl around them, with law enforcement breathing down their necks. "What if they're watching all of us?" Jessica wonders. They probably are.

Plus, when Netflix announced the release date for season 4, the streaming service also posted a teaser video showing the very emotional final table read with cast members:

13 Reasons Why season 4 cast

Almost all of the major 13 Reasons Why cast members will return for the final season, led by star Dylan Minnette as Clay Jensen. Also returning as Liberty High or Hillcrest students are:

  • Alisha Boe as Jessica Davis
  • Brandon Flynn as Justin Foley
  • Miles Heizer as Alex Standall
  • Grace Saif as Ani Achola
  • Christian Navarro as Tony Padilla
  • Ross Butler as Zach Dempsey
  • Devin Druid as Tyler Down
  • Timothy Granaderos as Montgomery de la Cruz
  • Anne Winters as Chloe
  • Deaken Bluman as Winston Williams
  • Tyler Barnhardt as Charlie St. George
  • Austin Aaron as Luke Holliday

A number of recurring and supporting characters, such as parents, relatives and significant others, will be back as well, including:

  • RJ Brown as Caleb, Tony's boxing trainer and boyfriend
  • Steven Weber as Principal Bowen of Liberty High
  • Brenda Strong as Nora Walker, Bryce's mother
  • Amy Hargreaves as Lainie Jensen, Clay's mother and a lawyer
  • Josh Hamilton as Matt Jensen, Clay's father and a professor
  • Mark Pellegrino as Deputy Bill Standall, Alex's father

13 Reasons Why season 4 will also introduce new cast members. The biggest name is Gary Sinise (Apollo 13, Forrest Gump) who will play Dr. Robert Ellman, an adolescent and family therapist who is compassionate and incisive and uses a no-nonsense approach. He comes in to help Clay with his depression, grief and anger issues.

Other new faces will include Inde Navarrette as Estela de la Cruz, Monty's sister, and Jan Luis Castellanos as Diego Torres, a member of the football team. Natalie Lander of The Middle is also rumored to be playing a character named Amanda.

As for past 13 Reasons Why cast members, it's unclear whether we'll see either Katherine Langford as Hannah Baker or Justin Prentice as Bryce Walker. Both characters are dead. However, they could reappear in flashbacks, memories or dreams. 

13 Reasons Why season 4 plot: What to expect 

Warning: Spoilers ahead for 13 Reasons Why season 1-3.

13 Reasons Why season 3 ended with a finale that revealed the answer to the big mystery: Who killed Bryce Walker? It turned out to be Alex, but Monty was the one blamed for the killing. After Monty was arrested for sexually assaulting Tyler, Ani lied to the police and told them Monty killed Bryce. Deputy Standall, Alex's father, reveals that Monty was killed in prison but closes the case so the murder can be pinned on a dead man instead of his son. Clay and the entire group help cover up Alex's deed. 

But their troubles are far from over. In the final scene, a fisherman discover the discarded bag of assault rifles that Clay, Tony and Tyler hid in the river after the latter's botched attack at the Spring Fling.

That huge secret will likely haunt all of them, while Ani and Alex grapple with their roles in Monty's death. And since Timothy Granaderos will be back as Monty, we can likely expect some flashbacks that explain what happened to him in prison.

Kelly Woo
Streaming Editor

Kelly is the streaming channel editor for Tom’s Guide, so basically, she watches TV for a living. Previously, she was a freelance entertainment writer for Yahoo, Vulture, TV Guide and other outlets. When she’s not watching TV and movies for work, she’s watching them for fun, seeing live music, writing songs, knitting and gardening.