The White Lotus creator Mike White teases ‘supersized’ season 3

HBO drama’s third season has been delayed due to the writers and actors strikes

The White Lotus creator Mike White has given fans a taste of what to expect from the show’s highly-anticipated third season.

The smash-hit HBO original is expected to return in 2025 after being waylaid by the simultaneous writers and actors strikes.

White told Entertainment Weekly in a new interview that he hopes to start filming season three “at the beginning of [2024]”, pending the resolution of the Sag (Screen Actors Guild) strike.

“I’m seriously finishing scripts,” he said. “Still waiting to be able to cast. If the Sag strike isn’t resolved soon, then yeah, we’d have to push again because the show has a new cast every season, so there’s lots of parts to cast... I’m more than eager to get going.”

Earlier this year, Variety reported that the drama’s forthcoming season would be set in Thailand, filming at a Four Seasons resort as they have done in the past.

The first season of the wealth satire was set in Hawaii and the second, which ended last year, was shot in Sicily.

“It’s going to be a supersized White Lotus,” White revealed to EW. “It’s going to be longer, bigger, crazier. 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.”

Mike White and Jennifer Coolidge (Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock)

While each season introduces viewers to a whole host of new characters, The Independent confirmed in April that the next series will see the unexpected return of a popular character from season one.

Representatives for Natasha Rothwell, who played spa worker Belinda at the Hawaii-based luxury hotel, confirmed that she will feature in the next run of episodes.

White had previously hinted that the third season might take place in Asia and focus on “death and Eastern religion and spirituality”.

“The first season kind of highlighted money, and then the second season is sex,” White said in a clip shared at the end of season two.

“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.”

The White Lotus’s second season swept the Emmy Awards last year, winning in five categories.

Seasons one and two of The White Lotus are available to watch on Sky and NOW.