‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 5: Cast, Plot and News

Only Murders in the Building season 5 is in the works!

Since its premiere in August 2021, the Hulu comedy series has become a fan favorite and award-winning hit, most recently winning outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series at the 2025 SAG Awards on Feb. 23, among other honors.

Before season 4 wrapped in October 2024, the show had already been renewed for another season. During a January 2025 conversation with TheWrap, executive producer Dan Fogelman teased that the fifth installment — which is set to start production in March — would include “another big fun mystery the writers have been cooking up.”

Fogelman also shared his excitement about the return of one of television’s favorite trios: Selena Gomez, Martin Short and Steve Martin.

“The ability for the writers to take those three guys who are so comfortable in the skin of those roles now, and where the comedy sits in the show, where the dramedy sits in the show, it’s just so always so fun to start a new story with them and explore new aspects of their friendship and new aspects of their lives,” Fogelman said. “I think it’s going to be a really fun, fulfilling season.”

From the cast to the plot, here’s everything to know about season 5 of Only Murders in the Building.

How did Only Murders in the Building season 4 end?

While the start of the season 4 finale saw the heartfelt nuptials between Oliver Putnam (Short) and Loretta Durkin (Meryl Streep), it didn’t take long for the episode to take a dramatic turn.

As the finale unfolded, long-awaited answers emerged about the murder of Sazz Pataki (Jane Lynch), revealing that stuntman Marshall P. Pope/Rex Bailey (Jin Ha) was responsible for the murder. His motive? Steal Sazz’s screenplay and pass it off as his own.

After realizing he’d been caught, Marshall took Mabel Mora (Gomez) hostage and confessed to the murder. But Charles Haden-Savage (Martin) and Oliver Putnam (Short) appeared just in the nick of time — after traversing across the outer wall of the building! — to save their podcast co-host and dear friend. Once they arrived, Marshall held all three at gunpoint.

However, just as he was about to pull the trigger, a bullet came through the window and killed him. As it turned out, it was shot by season 1 villain — and Charles’ first love — Jan (Amy Ryan).

Despite resolving one mystery, the finale ended with another shocking murder. Toward the end of the episode, Mabel, Charles and Oliver discovered their longtime doorman Lester (Teddy Coluca) lying dead in a fountain outside the building, sending the trio into a panic as they called for help.

What will Only Murders in the Building season 5 be about?

Season 5 will likely look into Lester’s death — while also examining themes of past versus present New York, co-creator John Hoffman told Deadline in October 2024.

He elaborated in an interview with TheWrap the same month, emphasizing that the goal for season 5 is to “tell a particular kind of take from a New York angle.”

“Season 5 will hit on some very current things going on within New York, specifically very relevant things that are happening in the city right now, in ways that honestly we couldn’t have even predicted,” he said.

Hoffman continued, “We found out certain things, we were hearing whispers about certain things and it’s a little bit more reflective, deeply New York, both historically and the modern New York right now too.”

He added that the show has “always been classic meets modern,” and season 5 will follow suit.

“That is carried through again in a very, very big way within the next season,” he said, explaining that it will be “another wildly funny world” for the cast to get “thrown into.”

Which cast members are returning for Only Murders in the Building season 5?

Don’t fret, Only Murders in the Building fans: Gomez, Martin and Short will reunite soon! The beloved trio will reprise their respective roles as Mabel, Charles and Oliver.

Additional recurring cast members set to return are Michael Cyril Creighton as Howard, Jackie Hoffman as Uma and Da’Vine Joy Randolph as Detective Donna Williams, per Deadline.

Meanwhile, Streep’s return as Loretta has yet to be confirmed, though Hoffman told TheWrap that he finds it “very hard to imagine Loretta not being a part of this television show now.”

“Truthfully I have nothing but huge wishes that we get to do more with her without question,” he said. “It’s all about getting the right story for her and getting her something worthy.”

Which new cast members are joining Only Murders in the Building season 5?

After briefly appearing in the final moments of the season 4 finale, Téa Leoni is reportedly joining the cast for season 5 of Only Murders in the Building, per Deadline. Leoni appeared as Sofia Caccimelio, the wife of Nicky Caccimelio, a missing person linked to the Caputo crime family mentioned in episode 9.

In the last moments of the finale, she asks the trio to look into her husband’s disappearance.

“I think she’s the great tease at the end of the finale and a little bit of an intriguing bump forward,” Hoffman told the outlet. “She’s an extension of the little news report in Episode 9 that Mabel makes note of at the hospital.”

He continued, “[Sofia] is the wife of the Dry Cleaning King of Brooklyn, and maybe a couple of dry cleaning outlets in Manhattan, as well, we may come to know.”

Although Hoffman shared that he and Leoni had been texting for weeks and have “had the best conversations about where she might go,” her casting has yet to be officially confirmed.

Additionally, Fogelman told TheWrap in January 2025 that “more big guest stars” will soon be announced.

Where can I watch Only Murders in the Building?

Although no release date has been announced for the fifth installment, the first four seasons of Only Murders in the Building are available to stream on Hulu in the meantime.