Guests are ready for paradise in Thailand.
Although early-in isn’t an option at The White Lotus, fans did get a glimpse of what’s to come in season three of the HBO series tucked away in Max’s 2025 sizzle reel.
With a new season comes fresh faces, like Walton Goggins in a stylish linen suit taking in the resort’s surroundings and Patrick Schwarzenegger partying at a bonfire on the beach. Blackpink’s Lisa is putting down the microphone to greet guests arriving at the White Lotus. Meanwhile, Natasha Rothwell—who played spa manager Belinda in season one—is reprising her role in the most recent installment.
The upcoming season of the Emmy Award-winning show is set to drop in 2025, but the exact release date is still under wraps.
But as viewers wait to hear the unnerving yet catchy opening credits, some stars shared insight into filming in Asia. For instance, Patrick highlighted some memorable moments during their time, like a selfie with the show’s creator Mike White and new costar Aimee Lou Wood.
"That's a wrap on White Lotus season 3. What an experience!" the son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver wrote on Instagram in August. "What an honor it was to work & learn from some of the most talented actors in the world. You all made this project a lifetime of memories."
In another snap, the Gen V star is beaming while washing off an elephant. In others, he's soaking up the sun while lounging in the pool and having fun on set. "Can't wait for you guys to see this season," he added. "It's fu&!ng nuts!!!!!"
As for what fans can expect?
"It's going to be a supersized White Lotus," Mike told Entertainment Weekly last November. "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."
Although each season comes with a brand new cast, he has been open to bringing back even more show alums.
"It would be easy to just be full-on anthology, but I think it's more fun to have little threads through the show," he explained. "If the show goes on for a couple of seasons, it would be fun to have an all-star season."
And he did previously reveal his plans for the upcoming episodes.
"The first season kind of highlighted money, and then the second season is sex," Mike said in a December 2022 clip pegged to the end of the season two finale. "I think the third season would be maybe a satirical and funny look at death and Eastern religion and spirituality."
As we await more details about The White Lotus, read on to see everything we know about season three.
Patrick Schwarzenegger (Gen V), Aimee Lou Wood (Sex Education), Walton Goggins (The Hateful Eight), Sarah Catherine Hook (The Conjuring) and Sam Nivola (The Pursuit of Love) are the latest stars to check in for season three.
Avengers' Carrie Coon, Iron Man's Leslie Bibb and Harry Potter's Jason Isaacs are set to star in season three. Parker Posey, Dom Hetrakul, Michelle Monaghan and Tayme Thapthimthong are also joining the White Lotus cast.
Natasha Rothwell is coming back! The Insecure actress played spa manager Belinda in season one.
Season three will take place in Thailand, the network announced in January 2024.
After wrapping production on The White Lotus' second season in Sicily, creator Mike White hinted that he already had a destination for season three in mind.
"The first season highlighted money and the second season is sex," he said. "I think the third season, it would be maybe a satirical, funny look at death, Eastern religion and spirituality. It feels like it could be a rich tapestry to do another round."
The end of The White Lotus' second season still left some untied threads, particularly when it comes to the nefarious dealings of Tanya's (Jennifer Coolidge) husband Greg (Jon Gries).
However, Mike White suggested those questions might get answered sooner rather than later.
"I think as far as like, what happens to Greg and the conspiracy of Tanya's death, it's possible that I think Portia (Haley Lu Richardson) is scared enough to just leave it alone," White said to HBO after the season two finale, "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 back down to Greg. But maybe you'll have to wait to find out what happens."
The second season introduced viewers to sex-addicted producer Dominic Di Grasso, played by Michael Imperioli, traveling with his son Albie (Adam DiMarco) and father Bert (F. Murray Abraham).
While it's unclear if Michael has actually had conversations about reprising his role in season three—he'd certainly jump at the chance.
"Who knows, maybe there'll be another White Lotus season where Dominic comes with his wife and they patch it all up!" Michael suggested to Esquire in December. "I don't want to think about it too much. Because the idea of that makes me so happy. I don't want to be disappointed. I would want nothing more than that."
Hey, if that means we'd get to meet Laura Dern, who voiced Dominic's wife in season two, we're all for it!
In July 2022, Connie Britton—who played businesswoman Nicole Mossbacher in season one—revealed that she and Mike White had already discussed her potential return.
"He wanted me to be in the second season, and there was an idea that I loved for the character," Connie told Deadline in July 2022. "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 that in the third season."
When asked about the idea by E! News in January, Connie simply said, "Listen, my lips are sealed."
After Tanya—spoiler alert!—killed a bunch of people and then fell to her death in the season two finale, it stands to reason that Jennifer Coolidge probably won't be returning to The White Lotus for the third season in a row—even in ghost form.
"He sort of sticks to his guns," Jennifer said of Mike White in an interview with E! News Jan. 17. "He's an amazing friend, but I think he made his decision. He wanted a big, dramatic, Italian, you know, operatic ending for White Lotus 2, and he wanted to sacrifice Tanya."
May she rest in peace.
Simply put: It's still going to be a while.
Season three will start filming in February 2024, so if you're craving some devious resort behavior, you'll have to settle for a re-watch of the first two seasons of The White Lotus, which are available to stream on HBO Max.