Warning: This article contains The White Lotus season two spoilers.
The White Lotus has a bad reputation when it comes to serving guests a five-star experience, if the fate of a handful of VIP holidaymakers in the previous two seasons at the fictional luxurious hotel chain is anything to go by. But it appears its infamous public image isn’t putting off potential guests from booking a stay.
And while production on the third season of the show was paused during the Writers Guild of America's strike, once a deal was agreed, HBO prioritised getting The White Lotus' third season straight into production, according to Deadline. In fact, casting is complete for the third season, with production believed to have started on 13 February 2024 in Koh Samui.
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There may be a slight delay to its release date, owing to the strikes, but we've scoured the internet to find out everything you need to know about The White Lotus season three.
What will The White Lotus season three plot focus on?
If we’re to go by previous seasons then we expect a third season will follow a whole new group of guests and there will likely be at least one death – surprise, surprise.
In a one-on-one conversation with Jeremy Allen White for Variety's Actors on Actors video series, Jennifer Coolidge has revealed her hops for Jon Gries — who plays Greg, the husband of her character Tanya — to find some retribution in season three of the show.
‘My hope for Jon is that he's not finished with Greg,’ she revealed. ‘I hope there's some comeuppance for evil Greg. I think he should, I don't know, end up in a meat-grinding machine.’
Fans will recall that Greg was repeatedly questioned as to whether he was having an affair in season two and, in the finale, Tanya asks a dying Quentin (Tom Hollander) whether Greg was cheating on her after she shot him.
Despite her death in season two of the show, Coolidge also suggested how she could ‘return’ in the next season. ‘If Tanya could come back in any form, maybe she could come back as a seagull and poke Greg’s eyes out,’ she joked.
Creator Mike White previously suggested how Greg’s story will play out in season three following Tanya’s death, noting to Variety: ‘I think as far as what happens to Greg and the conspiracy of Tanya's death, it's possible that I think Portia is scared enough to just leave it alone, but the fact that all of those guys die on the boat, it feels like there's gotta be somebody who's gonna track it down to Greg. But maybe you'll have to wait to find out what happens.’
‘The first season kind of highlighted money, and then the second season is sex, and I think the third season, it would be a satirical and funny look at death and eastern religion and spirituality. And it feels like it could be a rich tapestry to do another round of White Lotus,’ White previously said in the Unpacking bonus feature that accompanied the season two finale on HBO Max.
In an interview with NPR, White said the ‘who dunnit’ mystery of the previous seasons’ murders is a phenomenon he hopes to explore in future seasons.
‘It clearly is something that drives interest in the show. People will decide at the conclusion whether it’s satisfying or it feels just device-y, but at this point, I’m excited about the finale,’ White said. ‘As somebody who’s been working in the margins, it is kind of nice to have viewers.’
Francesca Orsi, executive vice president of HBO Programming and head of HBO drama series and films, has also shared her excitement at White’s visions for follow-on seasons.
‘He’s only continued to reach new heights in season 2, which is the ultimate testament to Mike’s raw, unparalleled vision,’ Orsi said. ‘His courage to explore the uncharted waters of the human psyche, paired with his signature irreverent humour and buoyant directing style, have us all dreaming of more vacation days at the resort we’ve come to adore. We couldn’t be more thrilled to get the chance to collaborate on a third season together.’
While details of the plot are being kept (understandably) under wraps, Deadline has reported that the HBO bosses are very happy with what is to come.
HBO and HBO Max chairman and CEO Casey Bloys revealed during a recent speech that show creator Mike White has talked the producers through his plan and they have given it their seal of approval. 'He’s just pitched us the idea for the third season, and it’s great, a really fun idea,' he said.
As soon as the SAG-AFTRA strike ended on 9 November, production on the series ramped up once again.
'I’m seriously finishing scripts,' White said, according to Deadline, as he commenced work once again after the strike. 'It’s going to be a supersized White Lotus. 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.'
Natasha Rothwell, who played spa manager Belinda Lindsey in the first season, is currently the only actor confirmed for the next season. Speaking to Vanity Fair, Rothwell said: 'I gasped out loud a minimum of five times and this was just me reading them.'
'The scripts are a testament to Mike’s skill and ability to tell the most smart and entertaining stories,' she said. 'I mean, everything that he does is like a lesson to me as an actor and a performer. And as a writer myself, he takes folks on a journey. Everyone needs to buckle up, because it’s going to get real!'
White has told Entertainment Weekly in a recent interview that the upcoming season is going to be 'supersized,' adding: '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.'
Who will make up The White Lotus season three cast?
In November 2023, Deadline reported that the series was casting thirteen roles for The White Lotus' third season, among whom is a character described as a 'yogi', a patriarch, a corporate executive, an actress, a couple of mothers and a misfit. Despite rumours swirling of Harry Styles being 'in talks' to join the cast in November, his representatives shut down the speculation.
After the rumour mill was sent into overdrive, in January it was confirmed that the Emmy-winning series will be adding Carrie Coon, Parker Posey, Jason Isaacs, Leslie Bibb, Dom Hetrakul, Michelle Monaghan and Tayme Thapthimthong to its cast for season three, along with Rothwell, who played Belinda in the first season. Belinda was strung along by wealthy resort guest Tanya with promises of an investment to open her own practice, which ultimately never came to fruition.
Sex Education's Aimee Lou Wood, K-pop star, Blackpink's Lisa, and Patrick Schwarzenegger have also been added to the cast for the third season of the show, with the latter's character reportedly involved in finance. Per Variety, specific details about the character Lisa is set to portray are being withheld from the public at this time, but it is believed that she will be credited under her given name, Lalisa Manobal.
In a dramatic re-casting, as of March 18 2024, Francesca Corney's role in the third season has been given instead to Charlotte Le Bon, per Deadline. HBO didn't issue a comment in regards to the news, but it is understood that production felt they needed somebody older the play the part.
It's not the first time that production has reshuffled their casting since production on the third season began. Earlier in the year, HBO also parted ways with Serbian actor Miloš Biković, who had voiced support for Russian President Vladimir Putin. His role was instead replaced by Bulgarian actor Julian Kostov.
One thing’s for sure though, The White Lotus might not feel like The White Lotus without Jennifer Coolidge, whose character Tanya is the only one to have appeared in both season one and two of the show.
‘Jennifer is my friend and everybody loved her in the first season, and I was like, “I can’t go to Italy without Jennifer,”’ White previously told Deadline. ‘And maybe that’s still the case. Like, maybe you can’t go to Japan without Jennifer, either. There are so many fun actors we’ve worked with so far, so it’s just kind of like who’s available?’
Of course, this could be tricky, given Tanya’s untimely death in season two of the show, but perhaps she’ll appear in flashbacks or even as a ghost – never say never, people.
Actor Connie Britton, who played Nicola Mossbacher in season one of the show, also told Deadline in July 2022: ‘[White] wanted me to be in the second season, and there was an idea that I loved for the character. 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 spinoff on every character in that show.’
When will The White Lotus season three be released?
During a recent press event in New York, HBO executive Casey Bloys, confirmed that the WGA writer's strike had impacted production on the show, whose release date has as a result been moved back a year. ‘The White Lotus Season 3 probably would have been in play for 2024, it’s 2025,” Bloys said, according to Variety.
On 13 February 2024, The White Lotus' official Instagram account shared a photograph of a clapper board to signal the beginning of filming for the third season.
'Unforgettable experiences are in the making at #TheWhiteLotus. We are eager to welcome new guests to our resort in Thailand,' the post's caption read.
Where will The White Lotus season three be set?
We don’t know about you, but if we were a tourism board, the last thing we’d want knocking on our doors is the White Lotus team – such is their poor reputation for keeping guests, well, alive…
Given season one was set in Hawaii, US and season two took place in Sicily, Italy we have our eyes set on a whole new continent.
In March 2023 multiple sources told Variety the third season will be set in Thailand.
In November 2023, a blind item submitted to DeuxMoi further confirmed the rumblings of an eastern location for season three. 'The Four Seasons Koh Samui is closed for February and March to film season three of our favourite show,' the submission read.
Mike White previously told Deadline in October 2022: ‘We just turned in our last episode to the network yesterday, so it’s hard to think about the next race. But if we did, 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.’
Mike's White's close friend has also spoken about a potential third season being set in Asia. Speaking recently with Vulture, actor Johnny Knoxville got onto the topic of The White Lotus – and accidentally 'revealed' the series' next location. When it was suggested he should join the cast of the hit HBO series, Knoxville responded: 'Are you kidding? Mike White is a very close friend of mine. He and I had been in Tokyo together. I think that's where the next... oh, I'm not giving anything away. I might call him again as soon as this is over.' Oops!
As of mid-February 2024, the show confirmed that filming in Thailand has commenced. Bloomberg has reported that season three will be partially filmed at the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, as well as at Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas.
And it looks like the cast are soaking up the tropical scenery while they can. Sam Nivola, a new addition to the cast, posted a selection of snaps on a boat and exploring an idyllic cove with co-stars. Patrick Schwarzenegger posed in trunks alongside Iris Apatow and Sarah Catherine Hook, with the caption 'The pookinator is looking absolutely FIRE tonight.' We concur.
The White Lotus season one and season two are available to watch now on NOW and Sky Atlantic.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
Naomi May is a freelance writer and editor with an emphasis on popular culture, lifestyle and politics. After graduating with a First Class Honours from City University's prestigious Journalism course, Naomi joined the Evening Standard as its Fashion and Beauty Writer, working across both the newspaper and website. She is now the Acting News Editor at ELLE UK and has written features for the likes of The Guardian, Vogue, Vice and Refinery29, among many others.
