The release target is 2028. Shankar said the team hopes to return quickly in three years, and he promised no delays like the ones that hit Pushpa 2. That promise will be tested, because both Allu Arjun and Sukumar have full diaries before this film can shoot.
Pushpa 2: The Rule ended with a clear signal that more story was coming. The makers announced the third film in the end credits. Fans left theatres knowing Pushpa Raj would return, even if no date was on screen at that time.
What the producer actually promised
Shankar spoke at an event for Robinhood in March 2025. He said Allu Arjun is busy with two big projects, and Pushpa 3 will come after those films. He put a time frame on it. Arjun will need at least two years to finish the other projects, then Pushpa 3 can move.
He also addressed the past. Pushpa 2 took longer than expected and was postponed more than once. Shankar said the team will not delay things in the same way this time. That is a promise about planning, not a locked release date.
Moneycontrol reported his comments on March 17, 2025. The report stressed that this was the first time the producer had talked about the third part in detail. Before that, fans only had the end credits tease to go on.
You should read the 2028 target as a plan, not a booking. A film of this size needs a script, a shoot across many locations, and a pan India release plan. Any slip in Arjun's other films moves Pushpa 3 too.
Sukumar confirmed it on stage
Sukumar put an end to shelved rumours at the South Indian International Movie Awards in Dubai. Asked if Pushpa 3 was on the cards, he looked at producer Naveen Yerneni and Allu Arjun, then said the Telugu line that translates as obviously, we are making Pushpa 3.
That moment matters. It came from the director himself, in front of Arjun and the producer. It turned a credits tease into a public commitment. Reports from the event described cheers and applause from the hall.
Sukumar will not jump straight to Pushpa 3. Reports say he is set to direct Ram Charan next. Arjun also has films with Atlee and Trivikram Srinivas in his lineup, plus a reported film with Lokesh Kanagaraj. The queue is long, and Pushpa 3 sits at the end of it.
That queue also explains why early pre-production talk has started. A recent report said the makers are preparing to start pre-production, with an office leased in Hyderabad for script work and planning. A base for writing does not mean cameras will roll soon, but it shows the story is being shaped.
What Pushpa 3 could show
Pushpa 2 starred Allu Arjun as Pushpa Raj, with Rashmika Mandanna as his wife Srivalli. Reports say both are expected to return, along with Fahadh Faasil. A new antagonist is also expected, though no name has been confirmed.
The third film is expected to show Pushpa Raj fighting to reclaim his red sandalwood empire. That is the natural next step after the second film, which raised the stakes for his family and his rivals. The title The Rampage fits that arc, but the title itself is still reported, not locked in an official poster.
There is also talk of a larger Pushpa universe. Moneycontrol reported in January 2026 that Mythri Movie Makers plans to expand the franchise, with Pushpa 3 in early pre-production. The same report said talks were held about a Salman Khan cameo as a character named Sultan.
Treat that cameo as buzz, not fact. No official announcement has named Salman Khan for Pushpa 3. A cameo that could later lead to a standalone film is an exciting idea, but it remains a report until Mythri confirms it.
Why fans should wait patiently
Pushpa is one of the biggest Telugu franchises in India. Pushpa: The Rise built the character. Pushpa: The Rule turned him into a pan India star. The third film has to top both, and that takes time.
Arjun's next films will shape his look and his schedule. Sukumar's Ram Charan film will shape his next two years. If either project runs long, Pushpa 3 moves. That is normal for films at this level, even when producers promise speed.
For now, you can hold on to three solid facts. Pushpa 3 is confirmed by its director and producer. The target is 2028. Arjun returns as Pushpa Raj under Sukumar. Everything else, from the full title to the villain to any cameo, is still to be announced.
Unconfirmed or reported, not stated as confirmed fact: The title Pushpa 3: The Rampage, the 2028 release window, the return of Rashmika Mandanna and Fahadh Faasil, and any Salman Khan cameo as Sultan are reported, not confirmed by an official poster or announcement from Mythri Movie Makers.
Sources and reporting
- Moneycontrol — 2025-03-17 · Verifies producer Ravi Shankar confirming Pushpa 3: The Rampage for 2028.
- Moneycontrol — 2026-01-20 · Verifies early pre-production reports and the reported Salman Khan cameo talk.
- Deccan Chronicle — 2025 · Verifies the planned reunion timeline and script work by Sukumar's team.
