The White Lotus Season 3 Cast, Director, Writer, And More Details
All eyes are on the third season of "The White Lotus."
Every few years, HBO introduces viewers to an absolute gem, reminding us why the premium channel is synonymous with quality and prestige. Back in 2021, the network brought "Enlightened" creator Mike White on board for "The White Lotus," a six-part limited series about the happenings at a posh and pricey resort chain. Focusing equally on both the White Lotus' guests and employees, the first season took viewers to the beautiful island of Maui, where social and socioeconomic hierarchies aren't as crystal clear as the island's natural water.
The first "White Lotus" outing was a critical success, nabbing 11 Primetime Emmy nominations. It went on to win five awards, including the trophy for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series. Clearly a winner for HBO, the network decided to afford White a second season, turning what was once a six-part limited series into an anthology. Season 2 of "The White Lotus" upped the stakes, taking viewers to the beautiful White Lotus in Sicily. Featuring familiar themes and a few characters from the first season, "The White Lotus" Season 2 was another critical juggernaut for the network.
Under the singular vision of White, who has written and directed all episodes of the anthology series, the HBO show is set to return with a third season, which will transport the White Lotus hotel chain all the way to Asia.
When will The White Lotus Season 3 be released?
In early November 2023, HBO and Max chairman/CEO Casey Bloys suggested that "The White Lotus" Season 3 likely wouldn't debut until 2025. The HBO boss said that the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes pushed the series back from its original release year of 2024. Luckily, the SAG-AFTRA strike would conclude just a few days after the announced postponement, and with Hollywood back at work, fans can definitely expect the "White Lotus" threequel to debut in 2025.
If work on the project moves swiftly, it's possible that it could debut in 2024, though 2025 remains the most practical timeline for the series. The HBO exec failed to reveal the exact quarter the third season was hoping to air in, and sources tell Deadline that the upcoming season's production is eyeing a February 2024 start date. It's unclear how long that will run, but the first season of "The White Lotus" took eight months to film. However, it was filmed during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is likely why production was so lengthy. The second season of "The White Lotus," which began production in late February 2022, ultimately hit HBO in late October of that year.
With such a quick turnaround time, it's possible that "The White Lotus" Season 3 could debut in early 2025. However, series steward Mike White did confirm to Entertainment Weekly that the third outing will be longer than previous seasons, which would mean that Season 3 will take longer to film.
What is the plot of The White Lotus Season 3?
Concrete plot details on "The White Lotus" Season 3 are unfortunately slim. Seeing as the previous two seasons have focused on the lives of both the guests and employees at a White Lotus resort, it's fair to say that the upcoming effort will dabble around similar themes of class divide, privilege, gender equality ... and probably death. What is known is that Season 3 will be set in Thailand; we just don't know exactly where yet.
The first two "White Lotus" seasons were filmed at Four Seasons resorts, so it's fair to assume that the third season could take place in one of the hotel franchise's many locations in the country. The company has properties in the rainforested area of Phuket, the mountainous city of Chiang Mai, and the bustling metropolis of Bangkok, offering several distinct possibilities.
In his discussion with EW, Mike White teased that the third season was a daunting endeavor that was set to challenge him. "It's going to be longer, bigger, crazier," White suggested. "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." As for the show's unique Thai setting, in a featurette discussing the sophomore season's finale, White revealed that the next season's themes will definitely play into the region's culture. "I think the third season would be maybe a satirical and funny look at death and Eastern religion and spirituality."
Who is starring in The White Lotus Season 3?
Natasha Rothwell was the first actor announced for "The White Lotus" Season 3 back in November 2023, and fans of the show will recognize her as Belinda from Season 1 — the spa manager who found herself disappointed by Tanya McQuoid's empty promises. Since then, we've learned more about the extended cast, and we'll be seeing some very talented figures visiting the ritzy Thai resort.
Carrie Coon of "The Gilded Age," Leslie Bibb of "Iron Man," Jason Isaacs of the "Harry Potter" franchise, Michelle Monaghan of the "Mission: Impossible" series, and Parker Posey of "Beau Is Afraid" were all announced as cast members in January 2024, along with Walton Goggins of "The Righteous Gemstone," Patrick Schwarzenegger of "Gen V," and Aimee Lou Wood of "Sex Education." They'll be joined by Scott Glenn ("Daredevil"), Dom Hetrakul ("Bangkok Dangerous"), Tayme Thapthimthong ("Farang"), Lek Patravadi ("In Family We Trust"), Christian Friedel ("The Zone of Interest"), Morgana O'Reilly ("Housebound"), Sam Nivola ("Maestro"), Sarah Catherine Hook ("First Kill"), and Shalini Peiris ("The Ark"). Lalisa Manobal of the Korean girl band Blackpink has also been added to the line-up.
Interestingly, the HBO series got into a bit of hot water with its casting. After Miloš Biković ("Serf") was brought aboard the project, the government of Ukraine protested, saying Biković supported Russia's invasion of their country. The folks behind "The White Lotus" responded by letting the actor go and replacing him with Julian Kostov ("Shadow and Bone"). As for who's playing who, we don't know for sure, but Deadline has suggested that the third season will have nine series regulars. In its casting report, Deadline revealed that the third season will feature "a patriarch, a corporate executive, an actress, a couple of mothers, a misfit, and a yogi."
Who is directing The White Lotus Season 3?
In true "White Lotus" fashion, Mike White will more than likely return to direct the upcoming season. While the Emmy-winning creative hasn't explicitly been confirmed as the show's director, it's a no-brainer to believe that he'll be helming the series' third outing. White single-handedly directed every episode from "White Lotus" Seasons 1 and 2, making the HBO series his own unique creative endeavor. It will be interesting to see how White's directorial style evolves with Season 3, as there will be a three-year gap between the second and third seasons.
White previously directed the comedy film "Year of the Dog" and the Ben Stiller-starring "Brad's Status," but it's "The White Lotus" that served as his major directorial breakthrough. Before "The White Lotus" became a juggernaut for HBO, White worked on the ill-fated "Enlightened," which failed to find an audience on the network. While speaking with NPR, White casually opened up about the fame that "The White Lotus" has afforded him and how he wishes his previous efforts were as well-received. "When that first season became such a water cooler show [that] people were talking about," White said, "I was like, had I only known if I'd put a dead body at the beginning of 'Enlightened,' maybe people would've watched 'Enlightened.'"
Now, "The White Lotus" is an Emmy-winning darling, winning the trophy for Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, solidifying White's presence as one of HBO's most interesting creatives.
Who is writing The White Lotus Season 3?
Mike White is once again penning the upcoming season of "The White Lotus." As of early November 2023, White was still in the process of completing the third season's scripts. While White has confirmed that Season 3 will be longer than previous seasons, it's unclear just how much. While White's previous directorial efforts prior to "The White Lotus" went under the radar, the creative is a prolific writer. Perhaps his most notable screenwriting effort is the Jack Black-starring "School of Rock." He's also penned several animated films, including "The Emoji Movie" and the 2023 Illumination animated pic "Migration."
White has always been a diverse creative who has managed to effortlessly shuffle between genres and mediums, so it's no surprise that he landed on a project as unique as "The White Lotus." In a chat with The New Yorker, the writer-director opened up about how he stumbled upon the series' initial premise. "I always wanted to do a show about a couple that's on a honeymoon—a thing about money, and someone marrying into money, and realizing what she may have lost," White said, referencing Rachel Patton's (Alexandra Daddario) arc in the first season.
His initial idea and the show's general themes about isolation, social dynamics, and how money can't really buy happiness effortlessly line up with White's cinematic interests. "I like existential type of movies, where it's really about, 'What am I doing with my life?' and that your attempt to find meaning comes in conflict with the world around you," White said in a chat with the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences all the way back in 2014.
Is there a trailer for The White Lotus Season 3?
As of this writing, there is no trailer for "The White Lotus" Season 3. Seeing as production won't start until early 2024 at the earliest and the series won't hit HBO until 2025, it's fair to say that a trailer for Mike White's latest won't be dropping anytime soon. The debut trailer for "The White Lotus" Season 1 premiered about three weeks before the series graced HBO, and the first look at "The White Lotus" Season 2 had a similar timeline. With that in mind, one can expect that there will likely be a short turnaround time between the first look at the season and the debut Season 3 episode.
Previous trailers have done a great job of introducing the season's White Lotus properties as well as the various guests and employees that populate the location. Audiences can likely expect a similar treatment for the Season 3 trailer, which should feature sweeping shots of Thai landscapes and (hilarious) bite-sized conversations surrounding the property's happenings.
What is The White Lotus Season 3 rated?
"The White Lotus" Seasons 1 and 2 have received TV-MA ratings from TV Parental Guidelines. This rating suggests that those under 17 shouldn't watch the program. Common Sense Media, an outlet that specializes in educating parents and guardians regarding media consumption, says that the series is best for those who are over 16. It's a suggestion that makes sense considering it's doubtful that pre-teens (and even some teenagers) are interested in watching a series about class division, corruption, and greed. Beyond that, "The White Lotus" series has never shied away from featuring excessive language, drug use, and nudity, which may not be suited for children. In short, "The White Lotus" is a mature television program riddled with complicated, suggestive themes and imagery, and it's best that those under 16 or 17 avoid the program.
As of this writing, "The White Lotus" Season 3 hasn't been rated. However, it's hard to imagine series creator Mike White taking his adult-oriented series in a more family-friendly direction. After all, this is HBO, and it's difficult to imagine a scenario where "The White Lotus" Season 3 doesn't feature heavy use of profanity, language, sex, nudity, and more. We do know that Season 3 will focus on "Eastern religion and spirituality." Seeing as the series has always taken a satirical approach, it's possible that members of certain faiths may feel mixed about the direction White takes with these themes.
What to watch before The White Lotus Season 3
"The White Lotus" is an anthology series and primarily features a brand new cast and storyline from season to season, with Season 3 being no different. However, each season takes place in the same universe, which means the happenings at one White Lotus resort influence the happenings at another, and despite a different roster of leading players with each new outing, characters from other seasons tend to pop up. For example, Season 1 standout Tanya McQuoid (Jennifer Coolidge) returned in a prominent role for Season 2, which took place in Sicily, Italy. While viewers didn't have to watch Season 2 to understand Tanya's arc from Season 1, it certainly would have helped add context and make her hijinks all the more exciting.
In the case of Season 3, spa manager Belinda Lindsey (Natasha Rothwell) is set to return. Rothwell made her debut as the White Lotus employee in the first season. While it's unclear how prominent Lindsey's stint in Thailand will be, it's fair to say that she'll play a major part in the upcoming season. Since Belinda is returning, viewers should definitely consider rewatching the first season of the series to brush up on her storyline. The last time viewers saw her, she was hoping to strike up a business deal with Tanya ... though things went in a surprisingly chaotic direction.
With plot details for Season 3 slim, it's unclear just how impactful the events of "The White Lotus" Season 2 will be on the threequel, so perhaps a rewatch for both seasons is in order for completionists. Seasons 1 and 2 of "The White Lotus" are available to stream on Max.