The White Lotus has undoubtedly been one of the most talked-about TV shows of recent years, and we have been itching for another season ever since we binge-watched season 2 at the end of 2022. Luckily, season 3 plans are well and truly under way, with filming slated to begin in Thailand in February.

Plus, on 16th January, HBO added another five case members to the already stellar roster. Here's what we know about The White Lotus season 3 so far…

Has The White Lotus been renewed for season three?

Mike White gave the official confirmation just days after season 2 dropped.“There's no place I'd rather work than HBO and there's no people I'd rather partner with than Casey Bloys, Francesca Orsi, Nora Skinner and their incredible team," he said. "I feel so lucky to get this opportunity again and am excited to reunite with my amazingly talented collaborators on The White Lotus.”

HBO also tweeted on 18 November 2022: “I can’t wait to welcome you to the next White Lotus property. #TheWhiteLotus has been renewed for Season 3.”

A short teaser video sees waves crashing and wine sloshing behind the words: “Another vacation is in your future.” Eek.

Where will the next series of The White Lotus be set?

After months of speculation, it was announced last year that season three will be filmed in and around Koh Samui, Phuket, and Bangkok, Thailand.

It comes after multiple sources close to the production told Variety it would be in Thailand. The magazine was long convinced of the location because the first two seasons were filmed at Four Seasons resorts in Hawaii and Italy, so guessed that the third season would be at one of the luxury hotel giant’s four properties in Thailand (either Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui or the Golden Triangle.)

Mike White also told Deadline at the time of speculation: “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.”

And in a YouTube clip from HBO entitled Unpacking S2 E7, he added: “The first season kind of highlighted money, and then the second season is sex. I think the third season would be maybe a satirical and funny look at death and Eastern religion and spirituality. It feels like it could be a rich tapestry to do another round at White Lotus.”

Meanwhile, executive producer David Bernad told The Hollywood Reporter recently on the location scouting process: "I will say it was very similar [to previous seasons]. Mike and I scouted in January, February of this year. The thought was we’d end up in Japan, which was a rumour that was online. Both of our dreams are to film in Japan.

“When we went to Thailand, we had a similar experience that we’ve had in Sicily, where there was just something about the hotels that we saw but also the experience of the culture of the people there. It felt so specific, in the way that we needed for season three. There’s a warmth, and it’s exciting that Thailand hasn’t really been depicted in the way that we are going to attempt to depict it.”

What will season 3 of The White Lotus be about?

White assured us, via Entertainment Weekly, that The White Lotus's third offering will be “supersized”… does that mean we can expect more episodes?! Sounds like it.

“It's going to be longer, bigger, crazier," he said. "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.”

White also previously spoke to the publication about a plot line that never came to fruition: “I might still do it down the road maybe, if they give us a third season, so I don't know if I should say… Originally, it was more of like a Bilderberg conference, more about getting into some of the bigger power dynamics there. But Sicily was a totally different vibe than the idea I pitched. That didn't seem right.”

So, perhaps series 3 of The White Lotus will see a group of political leaders descend upon the hotel… interesting.

Who will be in the cast of The White Lotus season 3?

According to Deadline, the team are casting 13 new roles, including nine series regulars. Amongst the new guests checking in will be a patriarch, a corporate executive, an actress, a couple of mothers, a misfit and a yogi.

On 17th January, five new cast members were announced: Aimee Lou Wood (Sex Education); Sarah Catherine Hook (Impeachment: American Crime Story); Walton Goggins (Justified); Patrick Schwarzenegger (The Staircase); and Sam Nivola (Maestro).

They join previously announced cast members Carrie Coon, Leslie Bibb, Dom Hetrakul, Jason Isaacs, Michelle Monaghan, Parker Posey, Tayme Thapthimthong, Miloš Biković, Christian Friedel, Morgana O’Reilly, Lek Patravadi, and Shalini Peiris.

It's also been confirmed that Belinda – the Maui spa manager played by Natasha Rothwell in season one – will make a return in season 3.

When's the release date for The White Lotus season 3?

While filming is slated to begin in February 2024, HBO Chairman and CEO Casey Bloys confirmed in November 2023 that the release date of season 3 of The White Lotus wouldn't be until 2025 at the earliest – meaning we've got a while to wait.

He cited the previous Hollywood strikes as the reason for this pushback in scheduling, as it was originally supposed to be released in 2024. While we don't have an exact release date yet, the second season was released in October 2022, so could we be expecting an October 2025 release date? Watch this space.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qLjApqauqp2WtKLGyKecZ5ufY8Kse8Crq6KbnJp8tbTEZq6hoaSaeq27066qZquVlsCwuoytn6udlQ%3D%3D