The White Lotus spoilers follow.

Murder's apparently good for business, because The White Lotus was renewed for a third season just a few weeks into the show's second run.

The show's creator, writer and executive producer Mike White celebrated the news in an official statement in November last year.

"There's no place I'd rather work than HBO and there's no people I'd rather partner with than Casey Bloys, Francesca Orsi, Nora Skinner and their incredible team," he said. "I feel so lucky to get this opportunity again and am excited to reunite with my amazingly talented collaborators on The White Lotus."

Orsi added: "Reflecting on The White Lotus' humble, run-and-gun origin as a contained pandemic production, it's impossible not to be awestruck by how Mike orchestrated one of the buzziest and most critically acclaimed shows.

"And yet, he's only continued to reach new heights in season two, which is the ultimate testament to Mike's raw, unparalleled vision. His courage to explore the uncharted waters of the human psyche, paired with his signature irreverent humour and buoyant directing style, have us all dreaming of more vacation days at the resort we've come to adore.

"We couldn't be more thrilled to get the chance to collaborate on a third season together."

We're dreaming of more vacation days at the resort as well, but what's the reality behind all this? Who will be next in line to snuff it at The White Lotus? Grab a piña colada and some mace as Digital Spy breaks down everything you need to know about The White Lotus season three.

The White Lotus season 3 potential release date: When will The White Lotus season 3 air?

While fans were treated to an early renewal announcement for the show, production has since been delayed amid the ongoing Writers' Guild of America strike.

Head of drama at HBO Francesca Orsi recently confirmed the delays, telling Deadline: "The White Lotus was ideally looking to go in 2024 but there's some question about timing of the strike."

The White Lotus debuted in July 2021, and then season two started to air at the end of October 2022. While we could have guessed the next season could arrive in early 2024, the picture is murky until the strike is resolved, allowing Mike White to crack on with those scripts.

The White Lotus season 3 cast: Who will be back for The White Lotus season 3?

Before the season two finale aired, Jennifer Coolidge seemed like a safe bet for season three. Along with her sketchy husband Greg, played by Jon Gries, Tanya is the only main character to appear so far in both seasons.

However, the season two finale was the end of the road for Coolidge's character. An absolute tragedy. But now that Tanya's floated out of our lives, does that mean Jennifer Coolidge is out of the show for good, or could she return in a new role?

Speaking to Deadline, creator Mike White said: "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. Like, maybe you can't go to Japan without Jennifer, either. There are so many fun actors we've worked with so far, so it's just kind of like who's available."

So perhaps Jennifer could come back as part of a Tanya flashback, but who else could join her in a third season? Technically, anyone who survives the first two seasons could reappear given that all these different chapters are set in the same universe.

Greg could certainly make a comeback in the wake of his wife's death. Meanwhile, Connie Britton might pop up, in a long-gestating role.

"He wanted me to be in the second season, and there was an idea that I loved for the character," Britton told Deadline in July 2022. "Our intention is to do it in the third season. A piece of casting didn't work in the second season and we're hoping to that in the third season."

Another familiar face confirmed to be returning is Natasha Rothwell, who played world-weary spa worker Belinda at the Hawaiian luxury hotel, where she connected with Coolidge's grieving character, to her own detriment.

Coolidge told the Hollywood Reporter of Rothwell's return: "Mike must have some juicy stuff for her. I think that will be the most interesting storyline of all: whatever's happened to Natasha’s character."

We'll just have to wait for additional names and faces checking into the next White Lotus to be confirmed.

The White Lotus season 3 plot: What will happen in The White Lotus season 3?

Season one made us all horny in Hawaii, and now season two intensified said horniness with a Sicilian getaway that's rather appreciative of the male form, let's say. So what location could be fitting for season three?

After plenty of speculation that the third season would be Asia-bound, a report from Variety confirmed production was headed to Thailand.

Both of the first seasons set up shop in Four Seasons resorts, in Hawaii and Italy respectively, so if the third season does the same there are four outposts of the luxury hotelier in Thailand. They are located in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui and the Golden Triangle, providing a spread of terrain from the city, country, jungle and beach to choose from.

During a behind-the-scenes HBO clip to wrap up the second season, White hinted the next instalment would head to 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. "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."

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Mike White teased something extra though when he revealed what season two was going to look like before Sicily took precedence: "Originally, it was more of like a Bilderberg conference, more about getting into some of the bigger power dynamics there. But Sicily was a totally different vibe than the idea I pitched. That didn't seem right."

That means we could be seeing some international leaders from across America and Europe get down with their freaky selves at a new White Lotus resort in season three.

Another tease we've had for season three is what we can expect from the show's infamous theme tune. For the third season, composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer has teased that the theme will be inspired by...TikTok cats?!

Speaking to Variety, he said: "I hear interesting things in TikTok or YouTube sometimes. I think that the best song I heard in the last few years that I can remember is people harmonising to a cat on TikTok.

"There's a cat, and somebody put some piano and then some girls started harmonising, and then there's all these versions harmonising this cat, it's super moving and so spontaneous and fresh that this is grabbing a lot more my attention than super-produced pop music.

"I'm a fan of pop music, but it feels like it's been a while that I feel like something has surprised me. So I've been looking a lot into these eight-second bits of music that people [are] putting together and harmonising a cat or stupid, silliest things. To me, it's like a gold mine, it's just moving to me. It feels like you are actually in contact with a person."

The White Lotus season 3 trailer: Any The White Lotus season 3 footage yet?

The White Lotus is a rather exclusive, private affair, but when we've seen some footage, we'll let you in on what's happening because we like you and want to do our part to help. You're welcome!

The White Lotus airs on HBO Max in the US, and on Sky Atlantic, Sky Go and NOW in the UK.

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