USA TODAY and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability subject to change. It's been a whole year since theesteemed members of the tongraced our screens so it's no surprise that their return is highly anticipated. However, it appears that we might have to wait a little longer since it's going to be a while untilSeason 4 of the wildly popular Regency-era drama "Bridgerton,"arrives on Netflix, this author learned on May 14. To mark the announcement and make up for the "Bridgerton" drought, the streaming platform gave a sneak peek into the first meeting between Season 4's lead couple, Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and Sophie Baek's (Yerin Ha). In the short clip, while the ladies of the ton swoon as an oblivious Mr. Bridgerton walks into the ball in a mask, the only person who catches his attention is a lady dressed in a silver enthralled by the chandelier. "It seems as though someone has finally caught the attention of Mr. Benedict Bridgerton," says Netflix in the teaser. Fortunately for our dear readers, this author has been catching all the hintsLady WhistledownNetflix has been dropping, so here's what we know so far about Season 4 of "Bridgerton," including a potential release date and cast. Join our Watch Party!Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox See pictures:Netflix shares first look at 'Bridgerton' Season 4 Benedict Bridgerton(Luke Thompson), the marriage-evading and free-spirited second child of the Bridgerton family, will be headlining Season 4 of "Bridgerton,"Netflix had announced last July. "That's right, the man who once moped from the corner of the ballroom is about to be the focal point of the marriage mart as he searches for a mysterious woman called the Lady in Silver," Netflix had said in itsSeason 4 announcementon Tudum. In the book by Julia Quinn, "An Offer from a Gentleman," Benedict meets his love interest, "a lady in silver" named Sophie Baek at the masquerade ball hosted by the Bridgerton matriarch Violet. As the teaser suggests, Benedict is completely enamored by the lady, who as it turns out is "a resourceful maid with her own secrets and dreams,"according to Netflix. Thompson told Netflix's Tudum "the storyline is a bit of a twist on 'Cinderella'" and that it's really "exciting to have that weaved into the world that we know of Bridgerton." Benedict, at the end ofSeason 3, ended things with Lady Tilley Arnold, telling her that he was enjoying his freedom and wanted to explore more of the world. Tilley was hoping for a more substantial relationship with the Bridgerton brother, telling him that even "merriment can grow tiresome." That conversation seemed to have resonated with Benedict and in his parting shot, he appears to be at a crossroads over his future. Thompson, in an earlierinterview with USA TODAY, had said that he felt like things came to a head for Benedict in Season 3. "He's always been obsessed with this idea of freedom and wanting to sort of escape something, whether it's what's going on with his family or whether it's society, and so that carries on," Thompson had said. "At the end of the season, when he comes across Lady Tilley's character, she tells him something that he hasn't really heard before, and that's what makes him think about things in sort of different ways." "Benedict for the last three seasons has been a very free character, but also slightly lost sometimes. There's a sense of not being quite sure where he sits," Thompson said. "You have to accept that there comes a point where you have to make a choice and commit," the actor added. While Thompson had not confirmed if he would be leading Season 4 at the time, he had said he was excited to "deep dive" into Benedict's character. Interview:Luke Thompson talks 'Bridgerton's' next season, all things Benedict Season 4 of "Bridgerton" will arrive on Netflix in 2026. However, an exact date has not been specified. Netflix hasn't exactly been consistent as far as "Bridgerton" release dates are concerned. The first season released in December 2020 and the second season landed a little more than a year after in March 2022. However, Season 3 took its time, coming just over two years later and in separate parts. Part 1 of Season 3 dropped May 16, while Part 2 released on June 13. In between Seasons 2 and 3, Netflix released "Queen Charlotte," a spinoff from the "Bridgerton" series with none of the main Bridgerton siblings. Showrunner Jess Brownell,speaking to The Hollywood Reporterat the U.K. premiere for Part 2 last year in June, had warned fans to expect a wait of up to two years. "We are working to try and put the seasons out more quickly, but they do take eight months to film and then they have to be edited and then they have to be dubbed into every language," Brownell told THR. "And the writing takes a very long time as well, so we're kind of on a two-year pace, we're trying to speed up, but somewhere in that range." It is not yet clear if filming for the series, which was underway in the London area, has wrapped up. Need a break?Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. The new season will have a mix of new and familiar faces, though some of the old cast members may have limited screentime, based on previous trends. Here's who is in the cast of Season 4 so far: Luke Thompsonas Benedict Bridgerton Yerin Haas Sophie Baek Luke Newtonas Colin Bridgerton Nicola Coughlanas Penelope Featherington Claudia Jessieas Eloise Bridgerton Jonathan Baileyas Anthony Bridgerton Simone Ashleyas Kate Sharma Ruth Gemmellas Violet Bridgerton Hannah Doddas Francesca Bridgerton Victor Allias Lord John Stirling (the Earl of Kilmartin) Masali Baduzaas Michaela Stirling Florence Huntas Hyacinth Bridgerton Will Tilstonas Gregory Bridgerton Golda Rosheuvelas Queen Charlotte Adjoa Andohas Lady Danbury Julie Andrewsas Lady Whistledown Lorraine Ashbourneas Mrs. Varley Harriet Cainsas Philipa Featherington Bessie Carteras Prudence Featherington Jessica Madsenas Cressida Cowper Martins Imhangbeas Will Mondrich Polly Walkeras Portia Featherington Daniel Francisas Marcus Anderson Sam Phillipsas Lord Debling Katie Leungas Araminta Gunningworth Michelle Maoas Rosamund Li Isabella Weias Posy Li "Bridgerton" is slated for eight seasons, given that there are eight books in the "Bridgerton" series. The Regency-era romance is based onJulia Quinn's novels, with each spotlighting a different family sibling. Season 3 focused on the love story between Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan). Netflix also announced that it hasgreenlit Season 5 and 6of the series. "Mayfair's esteemed Bridgerton family will return for two more seasons: Seasons 5 and 6," Netflix said. "A rousing celebration is certainly in order." Executive producerShonda Rhimesalso previously said they plan to adapt all eight Bridgerton books into eight seasons for Netflix. Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X @saman_shafiq7. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:'Bridgerton': What to know about Season 4 release date, cast, more