'Marco Polo' season 3 release date, rumors: Benedict Wong reprises role of Kublai Khan; Joan Cheng returns as Empress Chabi
Next season on "Marco Polo," Benedict Wong will return as the emperor of the Mongolian Empire Kublai Khan after he requested for a pay increase. Fans can also expect Empress Chabi, played by Joan Chen, to return alongside Kublai as they rule over their empire.
Benedict Wong has asked for a salary increase before agreeing to reprise his role as Kublai Khan in season 3 of "Marco Polo," Game N Guide reports. Fans have witnessed an exceptional performance from Wong as Kublai, making him deserving of a raise in pay. Netflix has not yet confirmed an approval of Wong's request, but it is most likely that it will be given to him due to the importance of his character in the show.
When production for season 3 of "Marco Polo" begins, Wong will be caught up between the series schedule and the filming of "Doctor Strange." This schedule conflict might affect the production of "Marco Polo" season 3, and the team may have to adjust to Wong's tight schedule.
Joan Chen will also be returning for the series' third season, as she shared in an interview with Northwest Asian Weekly how she fell in love with the role of Empress Chabi. She revealed that the character of Chabi called to her, giving her the chance to portray a powerful character that is not stereotypical to how women were viewed in the time setting of "Marco Polo."
Chen explains, "Mongols really valued queens as much as kings. In a way, queens had equal power to them, and that gave me the initial idea on how to create the character. Chabi isn't on the battlefield, but she's not shy about offering advice and expressing her opinion."
The release date of "Marco Polo" season 3 has not yet been confirmed, but its performance with the viewers indicates that it will not be cancelled. Netflix quoted an independent analytics company — Parrot Analytics — saying that "Marco Polo" ranked number 2 in the most-watched original digital series. Across all platforms, "Marco Polo" also prevailed as the 10th most-watched series according to its ratings.
Fans can expect "Marco Polo" season 3 to premiere in 2017.
