It doesn’t come as much of a surprise that HBO has renewed The White Lotus for season three. It’s a buzzy hit and a critical success, and there’s no dragon budget required. Creator Mike White’s “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,” programming executive Francesca Orsi stated. “I feel so lucky to get this opportunity again and am excited to reunite with my amazingly talented collaborators on The White Lotus,” White said. Below, find everything we know about our next vacay.
Where are we going?
The White Lotus is booking its ticket for Thailand as we speak, officially! White previously stated that he was interested in exploring “death in Eastern religion and spirituality,” making a vacay at one of the Four Seasons in Thailand the perfect backdrop. HBO has confirmed that the third season will film in and around Koh Samui, Phuket, and Bangkok. The governor of the tourism authority of Thailand gave a statement on the production, saying the country is “honored” to be the filming location for the upcoming season. “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.” Gunning for that White Lote bump, I see!
Who’s coming with?
We already know that Natasha Rothwell, who played the Tanya-victimized Belinda in the first season of the show, will be returning for season three. Rothwell, who earned an Emmy nomination for her role, confirmed the news on Twitter. And look, this isn’t typically a show with “happy endings,” but just know that if Mike White screws over Belinda a second time, we will be coming to his house and ******* his **** up. All threats aside, Carrie Coon, Leslie Bibb, Dom Hetrakul, Jason Isaacs, Michelle Monaghan, Parker Posey, and Tayme Thapthimthong are confirmed new cast members. They’ll be joined by Christian Friedel, Morgana O’Reilly, Lek Patravadi, and Shalini Peiris, who were announced January 12. (Miloš Biković was originally also cast, but he was replaced by Julian Kostov after voicing support for Vladimir Putin.) Walton Goggins, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Aimee Lou Wood, Sarah Catherine Hook, and Sam Nivolae’ll joined the pack on January 16. Blackpink’s Lisa (credited as Lalisa Manobal), Scott Glenn, and Julian Kostov checked in on February 12. Deadline reported that Charlotte Le Bon joined the cast in a recast of Francesca Corney’s character on March 15. If we can make one humble request, we’d like to point out that character actress, whacker supreme, and Drag Race: Thailand judge Pangina Heals might be able to rearrange her schedule. Think about it, Mr. White!
When are we leaving?
On November 2, HBO CEO and TV-critic antagonist Casey Bloys confirmed that the third season will not air until 2025, so Belinda fans will have to take a breath and calm down — which, ironically, is something Belinda would be great at helping with. Additionally, The White Lotus confirmed via a February 13 Instagram post that production has begun on location.
Still, we’re already thinking ahead to season four of the “limited series.” While we’re sure White already has ideas for future luxury-resort destinations, Vulture has some better ones:
- White Lotus Cruise Lines
- White Lotus Ski Lodge
- White Lotus: Forks, Washington
- White Lotus: Bethany Beach
- White Lotus: Universal Studios
- White Lotus: Jersey Shore
- White Lotus: Myrtle Ave. Burger King
- White Lotus: Scranton
- White Lotus: Vancouver (for the tax credits)
- White Lotus: Dubai (Real Housewives crossover)
- White Lotus: Luxury Train
- White Lotus: Great Wolf Lodge
This is a developing story.
