In April 2025, TV viewers waved goodbye to The White Lotus's Thailand-vacationing ensemble, as the season 3 finale ended with shocking choices and heartbreaking deaths. After weeks of theories, memes, and character style analysis, we bid adieu to Koh Samui, Thailand, from our new favorite trio of lifelong frenemies to the Ratliffs's spiritual awakenings to the coda to Belinda, Greg, and Tanya's multi-season arc.
Of course, as with real-life vacations, fans are already dreaming of the next getaway. The White Lotus was renewed for its fourth season in January 2025 (before season 3 even aired), so it's time to gather the clues of what's next for the Emmy-winning hit. Below, read on for everything we know about The White Lotus season 4 so far.
When will 'The White Lotus' season 4 be released?
HBO hasn't revealed a release date for season 4, but we have received a few updates. In January 2026, Variety reported that filming is set to begin in late April and last until October. Should the series meet that production timeline, season 4 may premiere in early 2027.
Where will 'The White Lotus' season 4 be set?
The White Lotus season 4 is headed to France. According to a Deadline report in September 2025, HBO and creator Mike White have "zeroed in" on France as the location for the next installment. One month later, Variety reported the specific locales where the show would be shot: the French Riviera and Paris.
We also know exactly which hotel will transform into the fictional White Lotus. For scenes shot in the French Riviera, the luxury stay Airelles Château de La Messardière in Saint-Tropez, located on the Mediterranean coastline, will host the new cast of characters. Past seasons have utilized various Four Seasons locations, but this five-star hotel is part of the Airelles Collection. It pulls out all the stops for its guests, too: Suites range from $3,000 to over $8,000, and guests can enjoy an on-site spa, beach access via a Rolls-Royce, no less, various restaurants, and more.
Hôtel Martinez, a Hyatt hotel, will be flipped into the White Lotus Cannes. The establishment, which opened in 1929, is located right on the Côte d’Azur and touts an infinity pool, luxury spa, and Michelin-starred restaurants.
It's yet to be confirmed where, but season 4 will also shoot some scenes in Monaco and Paris. The exact lodging has yet to be confirmed, but Variety reports that HBO is considering several options in the City of Lights: the five-star hotel Le Lutetia, located along the Seine in Saint-Germain des Prés, and the five-star Ritz Paris in the 1st arrondissement. Both hotels have rich histories and were artist denizens in the early 20th century.
It's been known that a European vacation was the plan for the HBO mainstay's fourth season for some time. At the time of season 3's release in February, White and HBO exec Francesca Orsi said Europe was a "likely" setting for future episodes.
Orsi said, "I can’t really say where we’re going to land, but chances are somewhere in Europe.”
France inevitably fell into place while the team was scouting locations and had a cliched experience at a restaurant in Cannes. As shooting began in April, executive producer David Bernad told Deadline that "a really specific experience with a waiter and the maître d" inspired their decision. "It was a very funny moment, and that totally unlocked what the show is. We literally cancelled everywhere else we were planning to go," he said.
What will 'The White Lotus' season 4 be about?
As always, the upcoming installment will follow the guests and staff at a White Lotus hotel over one week. While HBO and Mike White typically keep details tightly under wraps, we do know a bit more about season 4 than usual. As filming began in mid-April, Deadline confirmed that the new episodes will take place during the Cannes Film Festival. According to the outlet, HBO confirmed that although scenes will be shot in Paris and Monaco, most of the season will be in the French Riviera, and that Cannes is a main focus of the plot.
Variety revealed even more details, stating in an early May feature that it'll be about "two rival film teams...with movies in competition and something to prove." According to the outlet, one of the teams "camps out at a flashy, palatial hotel on the Croisette, while the other is ensconced in a luxurious hilltop hideaway." And, of course, that will make the lives of the staff at those hotels very difficult.
We also know what to expect in a more meta-sense. While White Lotus always explores privilege and power dynamics, White tends to center installments on a certain theme, and this time around, it's "the life of an artist." Executive producer David Bernad teased what the show's exploring while speaking to Deadline, saying, it's about "the loneliness and the pain" that comes with being an artist and living in the spotlight.
He said, "As we located the show at the Cannes Film festival, this idea of fame popped up, and who has the world’s attention? Who can grab it, and who is the plus one in a relationship? What are the things that satisfy us? Is it the love of an intimate partner, the love of strangers, what do we prioritize in people?"
"It really examines the things we value as people and what is attractive to us, and how fame can be corrosive and dictate your choices in life,” the EP added. “Some of the characters are existentially reflecting on those choices, some are reflecting on the choices and sacrifices they made as artists, and some are just starting to enter into this world of fame. Mike does a brilliant job of capturing how relationships can be corroded.”
Is 'The White Lotus' season 4 filming at Cannes Film Festival?
If you're hoping to scour all the Cannes paparazzi shots and news coming out of the festival for a hint of White Lotus tea, don't expect to see too much. While Variety confirmed that the cast and crew will walk the carpet in a special appearance at some point, it also reported that filming at the event will actually take place once it wraps. Almost as soon as the festival concludes, The White Lotus will "re-create" it for the show by reusing the red carpet and buildings known as the Palais des Festivals before it's all closed down. To capture the busyness of the festival, hoards of locals were hired as extras.
However, while the festival is happening, the series is still in production nearby. According to Variety, the de facto White Lotus Hotel, Château de la Messardière, is currently closed to the public and sealed off entirely to keep "a low profile."
Who is in the cast of 'The White Lotus' season 4?
Bonjour to the stars of The White Lotus season 4! The A-listers and up-and-comers filling out the ensemble have been teased since late 2025—and this might be the biggest season yet, both given the huge names and the international scale.
In late December 2025, Deadline reported the initial guests set to check in for the new season. According to the outlet, AJ Michalka, a former Disney Channel star and one-half of indie rock sister duo Aly and AJ, and Alexander Ludwig of Vikings fame are among the leads.
Details on their characters are being kept under wraps, but it’s safe to say the news sent social media into a tizzy. The White Lotus will mark Michalka’s first major, dramatic leading role in years. As for Ludwig, the internet has already dug up his thirst traps and is ready for the Canadian actor’s star-making moment. Plus, it’s perhaps worth noting that Ludwig is a musician himself. Could the two be playing a vacationing (potentially insufferable) celebrity musical duo? We'd like to see it!
In early 2026, other names continued trickling in. According to The Hollywood Reporter, British comedian Steve Coogan and rising Australian actor Caleb Jonte Edwards also landed roles. Coogan has been a well-known comedic actor since the early '90s, but is perhaps best known for movies like The Trip series and 24 Hour Party People, as well as the Oscar-nominated Philomena, for which he also co-wrote the screenplay. Edwards, meanwhile, is relatively unknown, except for roles in a short film and an episode of the Australian crime drama Black Snow. It's safe to say he's about to have his big break.
Soon after, several other Hollywood favorites were announced. Variety reported that arguably the best of the Hollywood Chrises, Chris Messina (who's known for The Mindy Project, Sharp Objects, and other TV and movie hits), was confirmed. Along with him, the outlet also revealed model Marissa Long will make her TV debut in season 4.
While the details are scarce, in mid-March it was announced that the Oscar- and Emmy-nominated Kumail Nanjiani (Welcome to Chippendales, Only Murders in the Building) and New Girl alum Max Greenfield have major roles, or, as Deadline describes, in "two of the meatiest recurring parts." (Could one of them be murdered and featured in flashbacks? That sure would be "meaty!")
The comedic actors/eye candy were announced alongside Chloe Bennet (Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Interior Chinatown), comedian Charlie Hall (The Sex Lives of College Girls), and writer/director/actor Jarrad Paul. Interestingly, we know a little about their characters: Greenfield plays Mitchell, Bennet plays Brynn, and Hall plays Zach.
We hope you haven't been holding your breath because even more intriguing names are joining season 4. To the thrill of cinephiles everywhere, in late March, HBO revealed several '90s film divas are joining the cast on Instagram: Heather Graham and Rosie Perez are among the stars. Alongside the Boogie Nights beloved and indie darling, Ben Schnetzer (Y: The Last Man, 3 Body Problem), Swedish actress/model Frida Gustavsson (Vikings: Valhalla), Norwegian actor Tobias Santelmann (The Last Kingdom, Exit), and French actress Laura Smet (The Guardians, Fauda) were also announced.
Additional names in the ensemble include comedy icon Sandra Bernhard, Ari Graynor, and Dylan Ennis. Bernhard should bring some comedic relief; the icon is known for her stand-up and roles in sitcoms like Rosanne, as well as recent credits in Severance, Pose, and Marty Supreme. Her White Lotus part is being kept under wraps, but Deadline reported some potential intel on Graynor and Ennis's characters. Graynor—known for Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist and her recent acclaimed, breakout role as Leslie Abramson in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story—is likely being paired with Messina. Ennis, meanwhile, is a relative newcomer, and given the London-based actor's French/Jamaican heritage, Deadline suspects he's playing a local.
A few French stars have also joined the roster, leading to reports that they'll either play White Lotus employees or locals. Vincent Cassel—a fixture of French and international cinema who's known for roles in Westworld and movies like La Haine and the Ocean's series—and rising French actors Corentin Fila (Being 17, Mortel), and Nadia Tereszkiewicz (Forever Young) were cast in early March. And, as stated, Laura Smet is also in the ensemble. We know, for one, that Cassel scored the role of "the hotel manager," so we can't wait to see how he caters to (or refuses to put up with) the guests.
Shortly after production began, a couple of Brits and a Swede were thrown into the mix. Oscar-winner Ben Kingsley, The Handmaid's Tale alum Max Minghella—returning to HBO after his stint on Industry—and Swedish-speaking Finnish actor Pekka Strang (Tom of Finland) will also make appearances.
While much of the casting news has sent the internet ablaze, perhaps the most interesting reveal came as soon as production began. As reported by Deadline, a week into filming, Helena Bonham Carter (previously one of the first names cast) exited the show. According to the outlet, HBO explained that her character "did not align once on set" and the role needed to be reworked. Days after the news broke, Laura Dern was said to be replacing the British star. Now, the Oscar-winner will play a different character, "being developed and written for her by White."
In the weeks since, Variety revealed that Bonham Carter was to play an actress trying to make her big comeback at Cannes, but differed from "White’s demand for a boisterous performance." Dern's role is said to "fill a similar place within the ensemble, but isn't the exact same part.
Dern has long been rumored to be a favorite for The White Lotus, considering she and White are longtime collaborators. (If you haven't already seen Enlightened, do yourself a favor!) That's not to mention that she's technically already a part of The White Lotus universe: As eagle-eyed fans discovered in season 2, the actress voiced the wife of Michael Imperioli's character over the phone. The word's still out on whether she'll reprise the role and bring it to the screen, or play a different part.
In general, we won't know many character details about anybody in the ensemble until shortly before the season airs, but we can surely start theorizing. Especially now that we know the series will follow two film crews, you can galaxy-brain about who might make up which team.
For instance, there are more than a few names hailing from Norway or of Norwegian descent, which feels significant. Could they be playing costars on a film project? And with so many iconic actresses on board, might some of them be playing career rivals, forced to reunite on the Cannes carpet? We'll have to wait and see!
What characters will return for 'The White Lotus' season 4?
One of the biggest questions surrounding a new season of The White Lotus is which previous stars could return for another round. So far, three characters have appeared in multiple seasons: Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge), who tragically died in season 2; her ex-husband Greg/Gary (Jon Gries), who likely had her killed and is living large off her fortune in Thailand; and Belinda (Natasha Rothwell), who accepts $5 million in hush money from Greg in the season 3 finale. This trio's storyline comes full circle by the end of season 3, so this could be the last we see of them. However, Rothwell and Gries have both said they are up to return for season 4, so who knows?
As for who else could return for season 4, all the guests from season 3 are fair game, except for the dearly departed Rick (Walton Goggins) and Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood). And there are certainly several characters from past iterations that could be up for another vacation.
The cast and crew have alluded to as much. During a THR roundtable, Patrick Schwarzenegger (who played Saxon) brought up the possibility of an all-star season with multiple returning cast members, to which White replied, "I’d love to do that."
"They could get all the douche guys in one hotel together," Schwarzenegger added. "Mike said that one day when we were on set, he was like, 'Oh my God, it’d be so good to get you, Jake Lacy, and Theo James in the same room.'"
HBO CEO Casey Bloys added, "Maybe Molly Shannon’s character and Victoria Ratliff know each other? There are so many connections between all these awful people."
We're starting a prayer circle now for that last pairing—as well as the return of Meghann Fahy's season 2 fan-favorite character, Daphne. It could also be fun to see Michael Imperioli's Dominic Di Grasso, should Laura Dern actually resume playing his ex-wife, Abby. We can't wait to check back in and see what's possible!
