'Marco Polo' season 3 updates, plot rumors: Kublai Khan to have less exposure; story to explore Kokachin's tragic death

After the major cliffhanger in "Marco Polo" season 2, rumor has it that Kublai Khan (Benedict Wong) will no longer be a major character in the show's upcoming third installment.

Wong's portrayal of Kublai Khan was praised by many viewers, with some fans even saying that he completely stole the show in the previous season. Even though the Mongol leader is one of the program's major characters, recent reports claim that he might have a reduced role come season 3. The rumor about Wong's possible screen time reduction is believed to have stemmed from the scheduling conflicts the actor has had since he received numerous projects for 2016 and 2017. Wong's stellar performance in Marvel's hit feature film "Doctor Strange" further led fans to believe that he will get additional projects in the next few years.

If Kublai Khan will indeed be dropped as a major character, it is expected that a new leader will take over the reigns.There are speculations that Empress Chabi (Joan Chen) might be the next character placed in the spotlight, alongside Marco Polo (Lorenzo Richelmy). In the previous seasons, Empress Chabi has proven to be one of the most significant figures in Kublai Khan's life. Her power to influence others is also a quality that makes her fit to become the next leader.

According to reports, season 3 will also delve deeper into Kokachin's (Zhu Zhu) tragic death and his unfinished business. When the show's second season wrapped up with "The Fellowship," Kokachin committed a suicide after losing his mind. Once the series returns to the airwaves, Marco and Prince Jingim (Remy Hii) will find out about Kokachin's death and what led to his demise.

Netflix has yet to announce a premiere date for "Marco Polo" season 3, but it is expected to return to winter 2017.