Diksha Sundriyal
Created by Mike White, HBO’s black comedy drama series, ‘The White Lotus,’ is an anthology with each season focusing on a different group of people and investigating a new murder. The third season transports the audience to Thailand, where secrets and lies unravel over the course of eight episodes to deliver a shocking finale that leaves the audience wanting more. While the third season was still airing, HBO renewed the show for a fourth season in January 2025. While work on the next season has begun, it is still in early stages, and filming is expected to begin sometime in 2026, which means that The White Lotus season 4 will release sometime in 2027.
The White Lotus Season 4 Will Fly the Guests to a New Location
Each season of ‘The White Lotus’ unfolds in a new location. The first season was set in Hawaii, while the second took the guests to Sicily, and the third to Thailand. So far, the details about the next location haven’t been revealed as the team is still scouting for it. Still, there are a few hints that Mike White has dropped about what he is looking for in the next location. Since the first three seasons have taken place on beachfront resorts, the show’s creator wants to move away from that a little bit. However, this doesn’t mean that he is going to drop the beaches and head for the mountains, as he is known not to be a fan of the cold.
It is believed that the fourth season might return to Europe, but White has also talked about going to Australia in one of his interviews. South America is also one of the untouched continents in ‘The White Lotus’ universe so far. Since all three seasons of the show have been filmed at the Four Seasons, it is fair to assume that the next one will also choose the same resort chain. However, it has over a hundred properties in 44 countries, so the field is wide open. The thing that will remain the same is a group of rich guests in contrast to the struggling staff, and a host of new problems that the characters often concoct for themselves. And, not to forget, a murder.
The White Lotus Season 4 Will Have a New Cast, But Familiar Faces Might Return
Being an anthology, each season of ‘The White Lotus’ brings a new slate of characters to the fore. So far, each season has boasted a star-studded cast, and no less is expected of the fourth season. So far, no cast announcements have been made, but it is expected to feature well-known actors, with some obscure, young actors thrown in the mix, set to have their breakout role with the HBO series. Interestingly, a couple of characters have made repeated appearances, especially with Jon Gries’ Greg being the only fixed cast member so far. He has appeared in all three seasons of the show and seems to be the one tying the stories together.
Considering that his arc remains unresolved in the third season, it is fair to assume that he will be brought back for the fourth season as well. Meanwhile, Natasha Rothwell’s Belinda has also appeared in the first and third seasons, and is the only person who knows Greg’s secret so far, in addition to her son, Zion. This leaves the scope for her and her son’s return as well. This time, however, she might return as a guest since the events of the Season 3 finale left her a newly rich woman.
The White Lotus Season 4 Will Continue Its Trend of Being a Character Study
Despite the commonality of the premise, each season of ‘The White Lotus’ has presented a new side of human behaviour. The first season focused on the contrast between the haves and have-nots, with privilege being the main theme. The second season turned the focus towards sex and lust, and the complicated dynamics of relationships. The third season used religion and spirituality as the foundation to explore vanity and materialism. The fourth season, while using the same markers as the first three seasons, will touch upon a different facet of humanity and its flaws to deliver a compelling tale.
Interestingly, a theory has been floating about, underlining the fact that, so far, each season seems to use one of the seven sins as its core. One could say that the first one was about greed, the second about lust, and the third about pride. That leaves the sins of envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth left to be explored. While no confirmation or even a hint of acknowledgement about this theory has been given by Mike White, it would be interesting to see where he takes the next season. Perhaps then, it can be confirmed whether or not he is following a pattern of biblical sins to tell a deeply human story. In the same vein, White has confirmed that the monkey motif has been used in each season, focusing on the animalistic nature of man. So, perhaps, he will pick up yet another thing from them to explain what it means to be human.
Read More: Is The White Lotus a Real Luxury Resort in Thailand?
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