HBO Has Renewed 'The White Lotus' for a Third Season — and It'll Head to a New Luxe Destination
The anthology series will focus on a new White Lotus hotel, and new characters staying there, in season three.
No matter how gorgeous the surroundings, how lavish the place you're staying and how blissful everyone wants things to be, life's chaos doesn't magically disappear just because you're on holidays. That's one of The White Lotus' key ideas, which it played out to spectacular results in the show's Hawaii-set first season — making it the best new show on TV in 2021, in fact — and which it is currently unpacking again in its Sicily-set second season. Get ready for that concept to get a third go-around as well.
In unsurprising but still extremely welcome news, HBO has just announced that it is bringing The White Lotus back for season three — news it revealed just three episodes into season two. Once again, it'll be a case of new year, new vacation season, new gorgeous destination, new cast, keeping the series' anthology format.
"Reflecting on The White Lotus' humble, run-and-gun origin as a contained pandemic production, it's impossible not to be awestruck by how Mike [White, the series' creator] orchestrated one of the buzziest and most critically acclaimed shows," said Francesca Orsi, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Head of HBO Drama Series and Films, announcing the series' season-three renewal.
"And yet, he's only continued to reach new heights in season two, which is the ultimate testament to Mike's raw, unparalleled vision. His courage to explore the uncharted waters of the human psyche, paired with his signature irreverent humor 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."
The news comes after The White Lotus hit an all-time ratings high in the US with its third episode of season three — although, given how ace the series is, and how widely loved by both viewers and critics (season one picked up a swag of Emmys just a month before season two premiered), bringing it back for more was always highly likely.
HBO and creator/writer/director Mike White (Brad's Status) haven't announced if any of the current characters — or season one's — might return in season three, as Jennifer Coolidge's Tanya McQuoid-Hunt has across its first two batches of episodes. Obviously, before any familiar faces can check into another White Lotus property somewhere else in the world (the location of which also hasn't yet been unveiled), we'll need to see who survives season two first.
The show's second season is currently diving into plenty of drama in a stunning setting, with Tanya travelling to the White Lotus hotel in Sicily with her husband Greg (Jon Gries, Dream Corp LLC) and assistant Portia (Haley Lu Richardson, After Yang) — however the former isn't happy that the latter is with them. Plus, Tanya thinks that Greg might be cheating.
Also checking in for season two's biting satire of the one percent and class divides: F Murray Abraham (Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities), Michael Imperioli (The Many Saints of Newark) and Adam DiMarco (The Order) as three generations of Di Grasso men, who are on a family holiday to connect with their roots; Aubrey Plaza (Best Sellers) and Will Sharpe (Defending the Guilty) as newly wealthy couple Harper and Ethan, who are vacationing with pals Cameron (Theo James, The Time Traveller's Wife) and Daphne (Meghann Fahy, The Bold Type); and Tom Hollander (The King's Man) as English expat Quentin, who's away with his nephew Jack (Leo Woodall, Cherry). And, there's also Beatrice Grannò (Security) and Simona Tabasco (The Ties) as locals Mia and Lucia; plus Sabrina Impacciatore (Across the River and Into the Trees) as this White Lotus' manager Valentina.
There's obviously no trailer yet for The White Lotus season three, but you can check out the trailer for season two below:
The White Lotus' third season doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced.
The second season of The White Lotus is currently streaming via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand, dropping new episodes weekly. Read our full review.
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