'Empire' season 2 finale news: Leads to promising season 3; EP spills details about next season

"Empire" season 2 has come to its conclusion, and the show has been renewed for season 3 by its home network Fox.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, "Empire" executive producer Ilene Chaiken explained that the tone, storyline, pacing, and even guest stars will have an effect on the show's upcoming season. The casting and invitation of guest stars will always be story-driven and not just a call of luxury to accommodate someone.

"Empire" season 3 will also delve more deeply into the individual characters, showing how they have developed into who they are at the present and doing justice at making these characters evolve in a realistic way. Chaiken shared that fans will "definitely see us do more of a slow burn with character and story and really play things out in great detail, taking advantage of every moment of the drama."

"Empire" season 3's thematic framework will be the battle between dark and light as Lucious (Terrence Howard) who is a master manipulator will continue to control the lives of everyone around him. His next moves and plans will be driven by the overwhelming consequences of the revelation of his having a half-brother named Tariq (Morocco Omari).

"[This season], we're telling one big story and it continues to be the story of this family and the intersections of their lives with some new characters and new adversaries but it's one season of television," Chaiken told The Hollywood Reporter.

The 18-episode run of the second season of the musical drama series revolved around the battle for control over the Empire Entertainment among its members. These events occurred after the arrest and imprisonment of Lucious who still attempts to control the company despite being put away in jail.

On the other hand, Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) continued to try and take over Lucious' company and at the same time attempt to put up her own record label. However, she does not have the skill set necessary for a successful music startup business while Lucious managed to record an excellent track even while locked up.

"Empire" season 2 finale though proved to be a twists-imbued, drama-bursting and shocking episode. It was when it was revealed that Jamal (Jussie Smollett) recovered after having been shot in the penultimate episode by Freda Gatz (Bre-Z). On the other hand, the future of the other characters was left unclear. During the final moments of the episode set on a balcony, Rhonda (Kaitlin Doubleday) and Anika (Grade Gealey) were in huge fight which was punctuated with a woman's eerie scream. This leaves viewers with the assumption that someone must have fallen off the balcony and with the question of whether or not that person will come out alive.

Fans are to count months before finding out the answers to this cliffhanger. But for now, keeping abreast with speculations and information leaks might do to appease their restless excitement for what is next in the hip-hop drama.

"Empire" will return in the fall for season 3 on Fox.