Although Rockstar Games seems entirely enraptured by the Grand Theft Auto franchise right now, with the recent re-releases and remasters, the announcement of Grand Theft Auto 6, and so on, many fans are wanting updates regarding Red Dead Online. Red Dead Redemption is the developer’s second most popular IP, and while the general focus on Grand Theft Auto right now makes sense, many fans hope that it’s not a decade before they get a new game.
Of course, a prospective Red Dead Redemption 3 may not happen right away—a Red Dead Redemption Remake would be welcome to help bide the time—but Rockstar should eventually release a threequel. Whether that’s another prequel or a sequel is up in the air, but either way, there is a ton of potential for protagonists.
Potential Red Dead Redemption 3 Protagonist: Jack Marston
Fans have been barking up this tree for years, but stepping into the shoes of adult Jack Marston for one more game would be interesting to see. The last players saw of him was when he took revenge on his father’s killer at the end of Red Dead Redemption 1, and such an action no doubt cemented Jack Marston into a “last outlaw” sort of character archetype. It would be great to see this come to an end, even if it’s not a happy ending.
This sequel would likely be difficult because, at the time, World War I would soon begin and the west was closing even more rapidly. Still, to see Jack Marston fight to hang on to everything his father and Arthur Morgan believed in (and actually seeing a version of Jack Marston reflect on the loss of Arthur) would be a good threequel in the beloved franchise.
Potential Red Dead Redemption 3 Protagonist: Sadie Adler
If Rockstar was reluctant to visit Jack, that would make sense, and Sadie Adler would be another popular choice. Many fans have called for it to be so, and even the actress has said she wants to be the lead protagonist for Red Dead Redemption 3. After all, Sadie Adler is one of few characters to get a “happy” ending, or at least not end up dead by the end of Red Dead 2. She’s out there, somewhere, and that is fertile soil for storytelling.
Perhaps, even, there would be a way to connect the two. If Sadie learns about John Marston’s death, even after years (news travels slow in the west), she could perhaps return in search of Jack. Bringing the two together would make for an epic send-off of some sorts, but fans should be prepared for one—if not both—of them to die at the end.
Potential Red Dead Redemption 3 Protagonist: Hosea And/Or Dutch
Instead of moving forward, Red Dead Redemption 3 could go even further back. Players learned of the Dutch Van Der Linde gang through John’s eyes in Red Dead 1, see its downfall in Red Dead 2, and so seeing its formation and/or early days would be interesting. Players could take on the role of Hosea or Dutch Van Der Linde, and that would certainly be enough to perk the ears of fans.
As fans know, however, both characters live through the early days of the gang. Two games could just be a coincidence, but it’s not a stretch either to think the third game would feature the main protagonist dying and let players continue the game with another. Perhaps it would still take place during this time, but it could feature another new character—someone Arthur doesn’t talk about, oddly—and continue on this tradition of prequels. Either way, the early days of the gang particularly through Hosea and Dutch’s eyes could make its downfall all the more tragic.
Other Potential Red Dead Redemption 3 Protagonists
Jack, Sadie, Hosea, or Dutch would all make great protagonists, depending on the direction Rockstar wanted to go. But there are several more characters who would notably make good choices as well, if less obvious.
- Charles Smith – Charles is in a similar boat to Sadie Adler, but it does seem like he wants to settle down. It might take something to bring him back into this particular life, but just like Sadie, knowing what he was up to would be great.
- Landon Ricketts – Landon is considered a legend of the Old West when he meets Jack Marston in Red Dead Redemption 1, and seeing this version of the Old West would no doubt be intriguing.
- Red Harlow – While Red Dead Revolver may be a different “continuity” from Red Dead Redemption, there’s no reason to not make a version of him canon to the main Red Dead universe. The events of his life after the first game are unclear, and they could be interesting if explored properly.
Ultimately, whenever Rockstar moves forward with Red Dead Redemption 3, it’s hard to imagine it going wrong on the character front.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.