The Challenge Season 38 Release Date, Cast, And More Information
It's hard to imagine a show — of any kind — going above 30 seasons on a network, but "The Challenge" on MTV has exceeded all expectations. The show is a spin-off of two MTV reality shows — "The Real World" and "Road Rules" — and follows contestants from the previous shows as they compete against each other in various extreme challenges in order to avoid elimination. Each season presents different challenges for the contestants, and they aren't made aware in advance of the themes they are doing or how they'd be doing them. The premise, of course, is what has drawn viewers in.
Considering the rate of renewal from MTV, viewers have yet to get sick of the show, and are hoping for more extreme challenges to come. The question is — will the show make it beyond its latest season, "Spies, Lies & Allies?". Here's everything we know about a potential Season 38 of "The Challenge" so far.
When will The Challenge Season 38 be released?
Unfortunately for fans, "The Challenge" has not yet been officially renewed by MTV, but given the show's longevity and popularity, it is likely news about a new season will drop sooner than later. Per Heavy, host TJ Lavin hinted about a Season 38 during the reunion episode for "Spies, Lies and Allies" during which he appeared from a secret filming location, and told the cast members to "be better" next season.
According to Entertainment Weekly, MTV announced the premiere date for Season 37 in July 2021, a month before the show returned to television screens, while the last episode aired in December. Judging by the previous release date, "The Challenge" is expected to premiere in the spring or summer of 2022. However, production may be delayed due to the ongoing concerns about coronavirus and the Omicron variant.
Additionally, spoiler guru PinkRose alleged in a Reddit thread that the show isn't slated to film until March, meaning production has been delayed by two months, meaning that a later premiere date is also highly likely.
Who is in the cast in The Challenge Season 38?
Given that "The Challenge" casts members from MTV's different reality shows in every season, it's not yet clear who'd be joining the show in Season 38. The only person who we can count on to return to the show is host TJ Lavin. The legendary BMX rider has been a fan favorite on the show for years because of his ability to explain challenge requirements and to reassure contestants in hard times.
As GQ notes, Lavin's sports expertise and authenticity to hosting makes him trustworthy to viewers and contestants. "People can see right through a guy who's not using his real voice," Lanvin said, describing his hosting strategy. "I'm just the same dude. I didn't change any slang. If there's something in the script that I wouldn't say, I won't do it. Once in a while, they'll want something a bit sharper than I would say it. But it's still in my tone."
Meanwhile, Heavy reports that familiar faces like CT Tamburello and Tula "Big T" Fazakerley are hoping to take a break from the show, and are unlikely to be back for Season 38. This leaves room for new contestants to make a name for themselves in the new season.
What location will be featured on The Challenge Season 38?
Part of the appeal of "The Challenge" is watching contestants navigate the elements in different countries. The show has featured a slew of different locations throughout the years, including Czech Republic and Austria, per Deadline. Season 37, meanwhile, took place in Iceland and Croatia.
Like with many productions, producers had to navigate through COVID protocols while filming. "For everybody [in the cast], it was about getting [their] head wrapped around [the new] steps that would get us to the show, and then once they were in the house they could proceed as normal," showrunner Ermer Hawkin told Variety. "By ensuring they were all in quarantine and all had negative [COVID test] results, it meant we could afford ourselves that position. There was really no way we could execute our show otherwise."
With the coronavirus pandemic still raging in many countries, it looks like these protocols will still be in place wherever the show chooses to film next.