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Mike White's The White Lotus is back for a third season after stops in Hawaii for season 1 and Sicily for season 2 — and fans can't wait to check in. After delays and uncertainty, HBO is finally giving audiences a few details about their favorite Emmy-winning show. Like the first two seasons, we'll be whisked away to a White Lotus property and get a behind-the-curtain look at everything that happens behind the front desk and the closed doors of each guestroom.
With the tease of a familiar face and a whole new cast to get acquainted with, here's everything we know about the third season of The White Lotus on Max.
Who is in cast of The White Lotus season 3?
Unfortunately, not Jennifer Coolidge. Fans know that she passed away at the hands of gays in the show's second season, so unless Tanya McQuoid has a twin sister, Coolidge will be stepping out this season. Natasha Rothwell, who played spa manager Tanya befriended in season 1, will be returning.
Parker Posey (Dazed & Confused and Party Girl), Carrie Coon (The Gilded Age), Leslie Bibb (the Iron Man films and Talladega Nights), Dom Hetrakul, Jason Isaacs (The Patriot and The OA), Michelle Monaghan (Mission: Impossible III), Tayme Thapthimthong, Christian Friedel (The Zone of Interest), Morgana O'Reilly, Lek Patravadi, and Shalini Peiris are set to star in season 3, Deadline noted.
In January 2024, Variety revealed five new cast members: Patrick Schwarzenegger (from Prime Video's Gen V), Aimee Lou Wood (from Sex Education), Walton Goggins (from Vice Principals and The Righteous Gemstones), Sarah Catherine Hook, and Sam Nivola.
“I can’t tell you anything. I signed an NDA. I can’t say anything,” Posey told Entertainment Tonight of the new season. “It’ll be six months in Thailand. It’s the third [season], so that’s when they get all the juices going, I guess. I got to read it. I love it. I’m really excited.”
Fans hoping for some cameos from past favorites may have something to look forward to, however.
Meghann Fahy, who played Daphne Sullivan, said, “He [White] did once say that he’d like to do an episode with Theo, me and the couple from the first season — Alex and Jake; the four of us on a boat. Just one episode of that.”
On Feb. 12, Variety reported that Lalisa Manobal, more famously known as Lisa from Blackpink, joined the cast. Her role in season 3 of The White Lotus marks her acting debut and makes her the second member of Blackpink to nab a spot on an HBO series. Jennie appeared on the network's much-maligned series, The Idol.
Courtesy Max
When is the season premiere for The White Lotus season 3?
Originally, the show was supposed to premiere in 2024, with HBO Chairman and CEO Casey Bloys saying that it “probably would have been [released in] 2024” during an HBO and Max presentation on Nov. 2, 2023. Now, the HBO team says that the show is set to premiere in 2025 because of production delays related to the SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America strikes. HBO confirmed the news in a teaser a month later.
Deadline reported that production is scheduled to start in February 2024 in Thailand.
Where will season 3 of The White Lotus take place?
In January 2023, HBO confirmed that the setting for the new season would be Thailand. Prior, fans had speculated that it would be Tokyo, but Mike White decided on Thailand because of tax incentives provided by the country.
Believe it or not, Johnny Knoxville (of all people) almost revealed the season 3 filming location back in February 2023. He told Vulture that, “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.”
Several sources confirmed that the team will film in Bangkok, Phuket, and Koh Samui. Unlike past seasons, the guests of the White Lotus will be spread out across multiple properties.
Bloomberg reports that "one executive who was personally involved in the deal says the cast of season 3 — including Parker Posey, Carrie Coon, and Jason Isaacs — will spend about three months shooting at the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui starting in February. One plotline features some cast members visiting temples in Phuket, where they’ll stay at another hotel, the same person says. According to other sources, that hotel will be the Anantara Mai Khao Villas Phuket.”
“The kingdom’s exotic natural beauty, rich historical sites, and diverse landscapes are the perfect settings to share our fascinating culture, fantastic cuisine, top-notch wellness, and luxury offerings, and most importantly, our people and Thai hospitality,” Thapanee Kiatphaibool, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said of The White Lotus filming in the country.
“Thailand has long been considered one of the world's favorite filming locations. The White Lotus project will certainly strengthen the kingdom’s status as a preferred filming destination and a beacon of experience-based tourism, inspiring even more visitors to amazing Thailand.”
What is season 3 of The White Lotus about?
White shared that he's planning to explore “Eastern religion and spirituality” in the new season of The White Lotus.
“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,” he said at the end of season 2.
Francesca Orsi, executive vice president of HBO Programming and head of HBO drama series and films, gave a few more details.
“He’s only continued to reach new heights in season 2, which is the ultimate testament to Mike’s raw, unparalleled vision,” Orsi explained to Variety. “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.”
“I think Natasha Rothwell was saying in an interview that every script she read, she just gasped out loud. I would concur with that,” Bloys said after the Emmys this year. "Mike is a really unique and singular voice, and I’m excited for people to see what he has in store."
Courtesy Max
How many episodes will there be in The White Lotus season 3?
White didn't reveal exactly how long the season would be, but he described the third installment of The White Lotus as "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," he told Entertainment Weekly. "I’m super excited about the content of the season.”
How can I watch The White Lotus season 3?
The White Lotus will stream on Max, just like seasons 1 and 2.
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