Survivor 50: Cast, Release Date, and Everything You Need to Know

We've passed the 25th anniversary of Survivor, and the reality competition series is about to celebrate its milestone 50th season, featuring 24 memorable returnees. Just months after the end of Survivor Season 49, audiences are going to watch castaways from throughout the show's history step onto the shores of Fiji for one more shot at the title of Sole Survivor. (Three of the returnees have already won the game, but more on that later.)

Officially titled Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans, this upcoming season promises to honor fans by incorporating game elements determined by online voting. During Survivor Season 48, CBS invited fans to vote on subjects ranging from aesthetics — think tribe colors and immunity necklace design — to actual challenge mechanics and the weight of advantages. CBS has already announced the result of one vote, which happens to be the poll we care the most about: The final vote reveal and reunion are taking place in Los Angeles again!

Jeff Probst returns to host the season. According to Entertainment Weekly, Probst is one of only four people who have worked day to day on Survivor for all 50 seasons beginning in 2000. Another is John Kirhoffer, the show's challenge producer. "When you're celebrating a milestone like 50, you think back to Season 1," Kirhoffer told EW. "And I remember so clearly being on the boat, leaving Pulau Tiga [after Season 1] thinking, 'Oh, please God, just one more.' ... I'd never been on a show that went multiple seasons. I kept getting on things that get canceled or just end. So this has been the craziest."

Here's everything we know so far about Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans, from when it's coming out to who's in the cast.

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When is Survivor 50 coming out? 

Survivor Season 50 premieres with a three-hour episode on Wednesday, Feb. 25, at 8/7c on CBS, and streams on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ Premium plan subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs). 

Who will be on Survivor 50?

Survivor 50 has invited castaways from a range of seasons, from its very first season in 2000 to the latest one, which just crowned a Sole Survivor in December 2025. Of the 24 contestants, three have won the game: Dee Valladares in Season 45, Kyle Fraser in Season 48, and, most recently, Savannah Louie in Season 49. 

Many in the Survivor 50 cast have competed on more than one season of the show. They include Jenna Lewis-Dougherty, Colby Donaldson, Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick, Cirie Fields, Ozzy Lusth, Benjamin "Coach" Wade, and Aubry Bracco. Both Fields and Lusth return for a record-tying fifth time. (Before Survivor 50, "Boston Rob" Mariano was the only castaway to have competed five times.) 

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When the cast was first announced in May 2025, many fans commented on the imbalance of New Era players outnumbering contestants from older seasons. Twelve of the twenty-four contestants made their first appearance on Survivor in Season 42 or later. There is also a lack of players who originated on Seasons 20-29. 

In an interview with EW, Probst said, "The group we put together for 50 will please some people and upset other people... There's no way to satisfy everyone. I do remind the fans: You do have to trust us a little bit that we know who wanted to play and who didn't want to play. We know who wished they could play, but the scheduling didn't work out. There were a lot of things going on behind the scenes."

Here's a gallery featuring the 24 castaways of Survivor 50.

Survivor 50 Cast: Who's Returning and Which Seasons They're From

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Survivor 50 tribes

The initial tribes for Survivor 50 have been revealed. On Jan. 28, Entertainment Weekly revealed the castaways starting their journeys on Fiji together. Upon first impressions, the tribes appear to have a balanced mix of new and old era players, competition beasts and puzzle whizzes, and loud personalities and more reserved voices. See below for the makeup of the three tribes: Vatu, Cila, and Kalo.

Vatu tribe

Members: Colby Donaldson, Genevieve Mushaluk, Rizo Velovic, Angelina Keeley, Quintavius "Q" Burdette, Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick, Kyle Fraser, Aubry Bracco.

Cila tribe

Members: Joe Hunter, Savannah Louie, Christian Hubicki, Cirie Fields, Ozzy Lusth, Emily Flippen, Rick Devens, Jenna Lewis-Dougherty.

Kalo tribe

Members: Jonathan Young, Dee Valladares, Mike White, Kamilla Karthigesu, Charlie Davis, Tiffany Ervin, Benjamin "Coach" Wade, Chrissy Hofbeck.

Survivor 50 trailers

CBS dropped the trailer for Survivor 50 after Season 49's finale in December, and it's one dramatic video. "We chose you to represent 25 years of the greatest adventure on television," Jeff Probst says. "It's a big honor, and the only thing we want in exchange for giving you the spot — is everything." The trailer also revealed the two previously unannounced cast members from Season 49: winner Savannah Louie, and her ally Rizo Velovic, who lost in the fire-making challenge right before the Final Tribal Council. 

The trailer also teases celebrity appearances. Zac Brown and MrBeast both show up in the video, and at one point Christian Hubicki says, "Jimmy Fallon may decide my fate in this game." Besides, what's the "Billie Eilish boomerang idol" Rick Devens speaks of? We can only guess at this point, and hope that Season 50 isn't derailed by too many twists.

On May 28, 2025, Probst announced the returning cast in a video. In true Survivor fashion, the host pulled out voting parchments from an urn to reveal the names of the participants one by one. 

Where to watch Survivor

All 49 seasons of Survivor are available to stream on Paramount+.