A sneak peek of the first trailer of the upcoming third series of The White Lotus has been shared by HBO Max.
In a teaser of the network’s upcoming shows, scenes from the series – which follows the lives of the guests and staff at one of the fictional White Lotus resort’s international hotels – have been released, alongside teasers for Hacks, Peacemaker and And Just Like That.
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The series has become a favourite with critics and fans, winning two Golden Globe Awards and six Primetime Emmy Awards for its first two seasons. Stars including Jennifer Coolidge, Aubrey Plaza, Theo James and Michael Imperioli have appeared in the show.
As fans await the next iteration, let’s take a look at what we know so far about The White Lotus series three.
Where is the White Lotus season 3 set?
The latest series will take place in Thailand. In February, it was revealed that filming of the show had commenced in Bangkok, Phuket and on the island of Koh Samui. The first and second series of the comedy-drama were filmed at The Four Seasons hotels in Maui and Sicily, respectively, with both locations receiving a sudden increase in visitors after their seasons aired.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, HBO partnered with the Tourism Authority of Thailand in the production and filming of the new series.
“Thailand has long been considered one of the world’s favourite 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,” said Thapanee Kiatphaibool, the governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
Who will be starring in the upcoming season?
Earlier this year, HBO revealed the famous names joining the cast. Marvel favourite Leslie Bibb, Dazed and Confused’s Parker Posey and Jason Isaacs were some of the first stars announced, and Walton Goggins (Justified), Aimee Lou Wood (Sex Education) and Patrick Schwarzenegger are also joining the lineup.
Making her acting debut, Lisa – rapper and singer of K-pop girlband Blackpink – will appear in the new season and can be seen welcoming guests to the hotel in the series’ first look.
Are any characters returning from the previous seasons?
The only cast members who reprised their roles for series two were Jennifer Coolidge and her on-screen husband, Jon Gries. Although neither will return for the upcoming series, one name has been confirmed as returning: Natasha Rothwell. Fans will remember her as the lovable masseuse Belinda in the first series. She can be seen arriving at the Thai hotel in the series teaser.
What do we know about the plot?
So far, the cast and crew have remained tight-lipped about what we can expect from the new series. However going by its history, complex familial, romantic and work relationships with a sprinkling of crime are very likely.
Mike White, the creator of the show, has said that the upcoming season will be “supersized”, and “longer, bigger, crazier” than its predecessors. “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,” he told Vanity Fair.
Each series of the show follows a central theme: the first centred on money, with the second focusing on sex. “I think the third season will be a satirical and funny look at death and Eastern religion and spirituality,” White said during the aftershow of the second series finale. More recently, he teased that the series will look at “Eastern versus Western religion, or Western people in an Eastern culture”.
In terms of the character stories, Deadline reported in March that the show’s multigenerational cast will include “a patriarch, a female corporate executive, an actress, a couple of mothers, a country club wife, a misfit and a yogi.”
When will the new season air?
The series will premiere at some point next year, although the specific date is yet to be announced. It’s thought that the release was pinned for this year but was delayed due to last year’s writers’ strikes.
