All You Need To Know About ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3

The White Lotus Season 2 concluded on December 11, 2022 after delivering another captivating and delightfully somber installment of Mike White’s acclaimed drama. The first season garnered 10 Emmy Awards, including the Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series and the Outstanding Supporting Actress for Jennifer Coolidge. The second season, which shifted the story from Maui to Sicily, created a buzz online with its unexpected twists and turns, and received 23 nominations for the 2023 Emmy Awards (rescheduled to January 15, 2024).

The series was granted a renewal for Season 3 even before the second installment finished airing. With Maui and Sicily now in the past, the next setting is expected to be equally glamorous. The departure of a significant character and the assurance of a fresh ensemble, backdrop, and enigma have already piqued the interest of audiences, as they eagerly anticipate the series’s next opulent locale and disconcerting societal interactions. Here’s everything we currently know about The White Lotus Season 3.

What Does The White Lotus Season 3 Entail?

Specific details regarding the next season’s plot are currently unknown, although White has expressed a desire to transport the narrative to a different continent this time. “I think it’d be fun to maybe go to a whole different continent. You know, we did Europe, and maybe Asia, something crazy like that, that would be fun,” he expressed to Deadline in October.

In the wake of the Season 2 finale, White discussed potential intentions for Season 3’s themes and setting. “The first season kind of highlighted money, and then the second season is sex,” White stated. “I think the third season would be maybe a satirical and funny look at death and Eastern religion and spirituality. It feels like it could be a rich tapestry to do another round at White Lotus.”

“We are going to scout in Asia and look at countries there,” he also revealed to Vanity Fair. “My instinct is that maybe it has something to do with spirituality. Eastern versus Western religion or Western people in an Eastern culture. Maybe after sex it would be nice to have something that’s a little more celestial or something that’s a little more out of the carnal, I guess. But I don’t know. I have to beg off to be honest because I don’t really know.”

As of March 28, 2023, a clearer view has emerged regarding the location for all these explorations into non-carnal matters. Variety reported that Season 3 will be set in Thailand, according to various sources. While HBO declined to comment, Variety pointed out that if the series continues to utilize Four Seasons locations for filming, then one of the “luxury hotel giant’s four properties in Thailand, which are located in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui and the Golden Triangle” could be in contention.

Both seasons have revolved around a mysterious fatality and the social escapades of assorted guests, so there is a possibility that White will introduce another enigma for Season 3. White initially indicated that his original plans for the second season centered on political and business activities, but it didn’t align with the setting — suggesting that he might revisit these ideas for Season 3. “Originally, it was more of like a Bilderberg conference, more about getting into some of the bigger power dynamics there,” White explained. “But Sicily was a totally different vibe than the idea I pitched. That didn’t seem right.”

Who Will Appear in The White Lotus Season 3?

The ensemble for Season 3 of White Lotus is yet another spectacular assembly. Recent additions include Walton Goggins, who is also set to feature in the upcoming series Fallout, Aimee Lou Wood from Sex Education, Patrick Schwarzenegger from Gen V, Sarah Catherine Hook (known for the Impeachment season of American Crime Story), and Sam Nivola. On January 5, 2024, Variety reported that Parker Posey, Michelle Monaghan (a True Detective alum), and Jason Isaacs have joined the cast of Season 3, as well as Leslie Bibb, Dom Hetrakul, and Tayme Thapthimthong. Just four days later, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed what at once just seemed like a dream: Carrie Coon will star in the new season in an as-yet-unknown role. Perhaps she’ll adopt one of Bertha Russell’s hats!

In April 2023, Variety confirmed that Natasha Rothwell, who portrayed spa manager Belinda in Season 1, will make a return for Season 3. There is currently no information regarding how her character finds herself in Thailand, but Belinda’s interest in well-being aligns with White’s desire to explore spirituality. It’s also entirely possible that Tanya’s untimely passing led to some form of inheritance. Belinda might be encountering the White Lotus from a different perspective this time.

White has previously discussed the prospect of bringing Coolidge back to the next location. “Jennifer is my friend and everybody loved her in the first season, and I was like, ‘I can’t go to Italy without Jennifer.’ And maybe that’s still the case. Like, maybe you can’t go to Japan without Jennifer, either,” said White. However, given the conclusion of Season 2, it is highly improbable that Coolidge will appear in the next season, despite White’s fondness for collaborating with her. “There are so many entertaining actors we’ve worked with so far, so it’s just kind of like who’s available,” he previously remarked.

There is also a chance that Connie Britton, a cast member from Season 1, could make a return in Season 3. “He wanted me to be in the second season, and there was an idea that I loved for the character,” Britton told Deadline this summer. “Our intention is to do it in the third season. A piece of casting didn’t work in the second season and we’re hoping to [do] that in the third season. I would love to see a spin-off on every character in that show.”

How Many Installments Can We Anticipate in The White Lotus Season 3?

During a conversation with Entertainment Weekly on November 7, Mike White unveiled that the upcoming season will be “supersized”: “It’s going to be longer, bigger, crazier. I don’t know what people will think, but I am super excited, so at least for my own barometer, that’s a good thing … I’m super excited about the content of the season.” Game of Thrones‘ final seasons demonstrated that larger isn’t always better, but White might exercise greater discretion in the end.

When Can We Expect The White Lotus Season 3 to Debut?

The production timeline and premiere date for Season 3 are still unknown. While the last two installments premiered a little over a year apart, the wait for the new exploits of deplorable affluent individuals will be significantly longer: HBO executive Casey Bloys announced on November 2 that the third season has been postponed to 2025.