Everything We Know So Far

Warning: This article contains spoilers for The White Lotus season three. 

HBO’s acclaimed series The White Lotus wrapped its third season in April 2025, nearly three years after its second chapter aired. Created by showrunner Mike White, the eight-episode installment unfolded at an exclusive Thai resort, immersing viewers in the tangled lives of its affluent guests and dedicated staff over the course of a single week. This time, White delved into profound themes, from death to the complexities of Eastern religion and spirituality.

Despite some murmurs about The White Lotus losing its bite—or at least taking its sweet time to return—the HBO show proved its staying power in a big way. Not only did the third season go all out, with White creating a “supersized” edition of the dramedy, the final episode was the longest yet, stretching to nearly 90 minutes. The season as a whole also smashed records, drawing an average of 12.2 million viewers per episode. That’s a staggering 78 percent jump from season two’s performance over the same period.

On the cusp of a fourth season, we’re breaking down everything you need to know from returning cast members to potential plotlines and filming details. Surely, there are plenty more twists headed our way.

What happened in The White Lotus season 3?

The White Lotus season three finale arrived on HBO on April 6, revealing the culprits behind the resort’s recent robberies and the identity of the dead body(ies) that appeared in the first episode. The guest list included an HBO veteran, a K-pop superstar, and more than one familiar face from The White Lotus. Michelle Monaghan, Leslie Bibb, and Carrie Coon played longtime friends on a girls’ trip, while Jason Isaacs and Parker Posey portrayed a Southern couple vacationing with their kids, played by Sarah Catherine Hook, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Sam Nivola. Walton Goggins took on the role of a mysterious man, Rick Hatchett, who kept the true purpose of their Thailand trip from his much younger, far friendlier girlfriend, Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood). Returning for season three was Natasha Rothwell as spa manager Belinda and Jon Gries as Greg, alongside Blackpink’s Lalisa Manobal, who joined as White Lotus staffer Mook.

In The White Lotus season three finale, choices and consequences collided in a dramatic, money-fueled whirlwind. Belinda, once again betrayed by promises, pressures Greg for $5 million, abandoning her Thai lover Pornchai (Dom Hetrakul) and spa dreams for financial security. Valentin’s (Arnas Fedaravičius) shady past is exposed when he helps his friends rob the resort’s luxury store, but when he begs for mercy, Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong) faces a moral crisis. Ultimately, the guard kills Rick, whose tragic story unfolds when he returns to Bangkok, only to murder his estranged father, Jim (Scott Glenn), in a fit of rage. The twist? Chelsea, caught in the crossfire, dies. Meanwhile, Tim’s darkly creative idea for a family farewell—piña coladas laced with poison—almost kills his son, Lochlan, who narrowly survives the nightmare. Lastly, Laurie’s emotional breakdown highlights the disillusionment of comparing her life to her friends’ seemingly perfect vacations. In true White Lotus fashion, no one escapes without facing the fallout of their decisions, and the finale leaves us with a bitter yet satisfying taste of chaos.

Will there be a season 4 of The White Lotus?

Yes. HBO isn’t checking out of The White Lotus anytime soon. In fact, the network confirmed in late January that the hit anthology series had been renewed for a fourth season—nearly a month before season three even made its grand debut on February 16.

The early greenlight comes as no surprise. Back in November 2024, HBO and Max content chairman and CEO Casey Bloys revealed that during a visit to the season three set in Thailand, creator Mike White casually floated an idea for season four. And let’s just say, it didn’t take much convincing.

“We were in Phuket, sitting at dinner, just chatting about the future, when Mike asked, ‘What do you think—would you be interested in more?’” HBO programming executive Francesca Orsi told Deadline. “We told him, ‘If you want to make more, we’re in.’”

With White’s signature mix of biting satire and jet-set opulence, it seems HBO is more than happy to extend The White Lotus’s stay—no late checkout required.

When will The White Lotus season 4 come out?

With season four officially greenlit, the question is—how long until we check back in? While only a year separated seasons one and two, the wait for season three stretched past two years, thanks to delays from the pandemic and the Hollywood writers’ strike. There is no release date for season four that we know of but according to Variety, production is slated to start in 2026. If history is any indication, a 2027 arrival wouldn’t be shocking. On the bright side, HBO’s early renewal suggests things might move a bit faster this time around—but let’s just say, don’t hold your breath for a summer 2025 getaway.

Where will The White Lotus season 4 be filmed?

The White Lotus is trading tropical shores and sun-drenched cliffs for the glamour of the French Riviera. Season four will be set in France, with sources pointing to the famous Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, perched on the tip of the Cap-Ferrat peninsula near Cannes, as the likely centerpiece, Deadline reported. The resort’s location fits perfectly with the series’ luxurious aesthetic and long-standing partnership with Four Seasons hotels, which have served as the backdrop for each anthology installment.

That said, no single hotel has been officially confirmed. True to form, The White Lotus often weaves multiple resorts into a single season—as season three did in Thailand, centering on the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui while also showcasing three other hotels and villas. France offers a similarly rich palette: beyond Cap-Ferrat, the Four Seasons Megève in the Alps or the iconic Hotel George V in Paris could also be featured, depending on how White wants to spin the story.

Fans had speculated that White might venture to a snow-capped European ski resort—he reportedly sought a grant from the Norwegian Film Institute—but Norway appears off the table. Plus, White’s admitted dislike of cold climates, makes a tropical or Riviera setting a natural fit. “Mike is a California guy,” producer David Bernad told The Bill Simmons Podcast. “He is not built for the cold. Never say never, but I would be surprised.”

HBO had previously hinted at another European jaunt, with scouting trips initially planned for spring before being pushed to summer. Now, with France confirmed, fans can anticipate the sun, sea, and scandal they’ve come to expect.

Of course, White has long expressed a desire to shake things up. He’s dreamed of taking The White Lotus Down Under, saying, “My dream would be to hit every continent. Australia would be so fun. There’s a huge wealth of talent here, and the beauty is inarguable—it checks all the boxes.”

What will The White Lotus season 4 be about?

The White Lotus has a knack for making paradise look disturbingly ugly, drawing us into the lavish lives of its privileged guests as they let loose their darkest impulses at an idyllic resort, much to the dismay of the unsuspecting hotel staff. Each season has delivered a suspenseful mystery—with a dead body, of course—leaving fans eagerly awaiting the next shocking twist.

“For the fourth season, I want to get a little bit out of the crashing waves of rocks vernacular but there’s always more room for more murders at the White Lotus hotels,” White said at the end of season three in the Unpacking the Episode on MAX.

Whispers of an all-star season, à la Survivor or The Amazing Race, are swirling, with White himself fueling the rumors. A former contestant on both shows, White has reportedly floated the idea to HBO executives, and they appear intrigued. “I don’t think that’ll be season four, but it’s definitely still on the horizon,” said Orsi. “It’s in the early stages, but I imagine Mike will go beyond just one more season. He’s got more to say.”

As for the body count, White has suggested that the formula might evolve. “I don’t think it always needs to be a body,” he told The Hollywood Reporter in May 2023. “We want to reinvent the show each year. The mystery doesn’t have to always start with a dead body, though people might expect that. I’m not constrained by that—it’s fun to keep them guessing.”

Which cast members will return for The White Lotus season 4, if any?

Belinda and Gary-Greg are the only two characters whose storylines have managed to survive more than one season of The White Lotus. If they’re to make it into season four, they’ll need to dodge the same chaos that’s claimed so many before them.

“The ending was kinda the first thing I really thought of—Belinda leaving with money and leaving somebody in the same way she got left [in the first season],” White said on The White Lotus Official Podcast. “So, maybe she will go and do something meaningful. And I think people do. I’m not that cynical. That kind of was actually an anchoring idea, that she would go and have this kind of Stella-gets-her-groove-back kind of thing with somebody there and is maybe fantasizing about maybe starting a business with this person. And then this windfall comes and it’s like, ‘I’m outta here. Sorry.’”

While Belinda’s story in three concludes with her leaving Thailand richer, there’s a lingering sense of unease, as she seems to be repeating Tanya’s (Jennifer Coolidge) past mistakes. The finale leaves the door open for her potential return in future seasons, as well as Gary-Greg, her son Zion (Nicholas Duvernay), and maybe even Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon).

As of now, no one’s return is confirmed, leaving the fate of every guest (and staff member) still up in the air. If a White Lotus all-star season ever materializes, two standout stars from the hit series, Sydney Sweeney and Simona Tabasco, are both eager to return, according to Screen Rant. Sweeney, who played the sharp-witted Olivia Mossbacher in season one, and Tabasco, whose portrayal of the cunning Lucia Greco in season two left a lasting impression, are both open to reprising their roles for what could be the ultimate reunion.

On that note, in a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Schwarzenegger revealed which former cast members he would be open to his character crossing over with. “They could get all the douche guys in one hotel together,” he began. “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.’” Bloys was also quick to pitch some potential storylines: “Maybe Molly Shannon’s character and Victoria Ratliff know each other? There are so many connections between all these awful people.”

Let’s be honest, if any of these guests would be crazy enough to check into a White Lotus again, well, that’s on them.