Gear up for another holiday: The White Lotus is back with season 3! We've got you covered about the rather disappointing release window, the cast, and even more. Are you ready for a full-blown conspiracy theory?
What started out as a little "limited series" is now getting ready for its third season: it's vacation time at The White Lotus Resort with some new borderline sociopaths.
After a rather eventful second season and a heart-breaking twist regarding Tanya, the third season is highly anticipated – we've got everything you need to know before viewers get treated to another resort set in Thailand, including the cautiously set release window and everything else you need to know.
The White Lotus Season 3 | Release Window Is Rather Disappointing
The second season premiered in October 2022 on HBO and with season 3 being confirmed only a few weeks after that in November, hopes were high for a new resort and vacationers in early to mid 2024.
Those plans didn't work out, though. With the Hollywood strike shaking the industry to its core in 2023, The White Lotus' production (among many, many other shows and movies) had been delayed, resulting in a release in 2025.
Other than that, HBO has remained tight-lipped about the details, we didn't even get a season (except for the shooting location: one of the four Four Seasons in Thailand. Yeah, I'll see myself out...). But, as creator Mike White already teased in an interview, the new season is going to be "supersized", meaning: "longer, bigger, crazier." So there's that, no wonder it takes longer.
In other news, though: while the release remains a mystery, we do have some info on the new cast!
The Cast For The White Lotus Season 3
In true White Lotus fashion, we'll look forward to a whole new cast of characters. Nine main characters, to be exact, ages from 18 to 80, including "a patriarch, a corporate executive, an actress, a few moms, a misfit, and a yoga enthusiast." (Score! We all love relatable characters, don't we? Chances are the misfit is one for me. And the yoga enthusiast for like, two times a year. It's the little things.)
While there's no more info about the characters, we do have lots of confirmed new cast members, including Patrick Schwarzenegger, Walton Goggins, Sam Nivola, Sarah Catherine Hook, Aimee Lou Wood, Leslie Bibb, Jason Isaacs, Parker Posey, Michelle Monaghan, Dom Hetrakul and Tayme Thapthimthong. Joining them will be the familiar face of Natasha Rothwell – remember Belinda from the White Lotus in Hawaii? She'll be back!
Rumor also has it Connie Britton might come back. Back in 2022, she revealed in an interview with Deadline that White wanted her to be in the second season, which sadly didn't work out. "A piece of casting didn't work in the second season," she said, "We're hoping to that in the third season." Keep an eye out for her, then!
Also, there's a non-zero chance that any other character of past seasons could show up, so keep that in mind. There are a few things that Greg should clear up, maybe, but personally, I wouldn't take bets on Jon Gries reprising his role.
And regarding Jennifer Coolidge returning as Tanya? Well, there's a whole conspiracy theory on that...
Will Tanya Return In The White Lotus Season 3?
Spoiler warning: if you haven't finished the second season, you might be in for a surprise. Kindly click away and catch up!
It's been a shocker when Jennifer Coolidge's fan favorite character Tanya got killed off in last season's finale, making my blood boil for various reasons, mainly because Greg is going to inherit all of the money now thanks to the world's stupidest prenup.
Of course, people couldn't let that lie. It may be wishful thinking or outright delusion (both: fair), but a few viewers can't accept Tanya's fate. Seems they are clutching at straws, though, with the infamous line by creator Mike White: "Jennifer is my friend, and everybody loved her in the first season, and I was like 'I can't go to Italy without Jennifer; and maybe that's still the case. Maybe I can't go to Japan without Jennifer either" being one of the top arguments for the "Tanya's alive"-theory.
Mike White teases ideas for #TheWhiteLotus Season 3 pic.twitter.com/6qPZz9pqPj
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) October 21, 2022
Other arguments? "We didn't see her face when they zipped up the body bag, it could have been anybody!" and "Why was Portia so calm at the airport when she couldn't reach Tanya?" Yeah, I don't know about that... I'd like Tanya to have a non-violent end as much as the next person, but chances are that's it for her.
I'm open to be proven wrong, though, but we'll have to wait for the release of season 3 in 2025 to see if the theory turns out to be true. We'll make sure to keep you updated in the meantime!