Checking Into The White Lotus Season 4: Everything We Know

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Keep your passports at the ready. 

As The White Lotus season three receives potential awards at the Golden Globes tonight, January 11th – with stars Parker Posey, Aimee Lou Wood, Carrie Coon, Walton Goggins, and Jason Isaacs nominated for their acting – creator Mike White is already planning season four.

HBO announced in November that the next season of the show will take place in France. Previous seasons were filmed at the White Lotus resorts in Hawaii, Italy, and Thailand. HBO’s CEO, Casey Bloys, also mentioned that Mike White had just begun brainstorming ideas for the new season.

Despite recent developments, HBO quickly announced new additions to the cast of The White Lotus last month: Alexander Ludwig, known for The Hunger Games, and AJ Michalka of Aly & AJ.

The network announced that season four will be structured like previous seasons, focusing on a fresh group of hotel guests and staff over a one-week period.

The show’s creator has hinted at a change for the next season: future murders won’t happen on the beach.

I was so glad to hear Mike say in the post-episode discussion after the finale that he’s hoping to move away from just focusing on deaths by drowning or accidents with the ocean. He admitted they’ve used that a lot! But, and this is the best part, he also hinted that there will still be plenty of murders happening at the White Lotus resorts. Honestly, I wouldn’t expect anything less, and I’m already bracing myself for the chaos!

Although Jennifer Coolidge won an Emmy in 2022 for playing Tanya and told Forbes she was very jealous of the season three cast, she’s certain her character won’t be returning to The White Lotus.

The actress, who played a character that was killed off in the second season of Legally Blonde, explained that while she’d hoped for a return, it wasn’t going to happen. She added that she understood the show didn’t need her involvement.

Jennifer shared with TopMob News that she wasn’t thrilled about the return of her character’s boyfriend, Greg (played by John Gries), and actually hoped the show would kill him off.

“Greg doesn’t deserve any happiness,” she said. “I truly hope something terrible happens to him; that’s what he deserves.”

Unfortunately for Jennifer and Tanya, Greg got off scot-free last season. Tanya’s former friend, Belinda (Natasha Rothwell), took a $5 million payment to keep his past mistakes a secret.

Regarding whether viewers will see Greg and Belinda return, Jon, the only cast member in all three seasons, explained that it’s impossible to say if anyone will be back for the next season.

He admitted to The Hollywood Reporter in April that he didn’t expect to be part of the second season, or the third. He explained that Mike White always keeps things unexpected. While he’s eager to return, he’s not sure if his character, Greg, has finished his story arc. ‘I can’t say for certain,’ he added.

For what those behind The White Lotus can tell you about season four, keep reading…

HBO announced in January 2025 that The White Lotus will return for a fourth season. The renewal came several weeks before the third season aired, and followed a pitch from the show’s creator, Mike White, outlining more stories of wealth, mystery, and trouble.

HBO CEO Casey Bloys stated in November that if Mike wants to continue the show for a fourth season, it will happen.

Production on season four will likely kick off in 2026, according to Variety.

HBO announced in December that filming would take place in France, and reports in January confirmed the main location: the Château de la Messardière in Saint-Tropez. This 19th-century palace is now a luxurious hotel.

Before the announcement was made, actress Parker Posey, known for her work on the series, mentioned to TopMob News that the cast of The White Lotus was planning to film in France.

White and fellow producers had been dropping hints, too.

HBO Programming executive Francesca Orsi told Deadline in February that they’ll be scouting locations over the next few weeks to determine where they’ll film. While she wouldn’t reveal the exact location, she said it’s likely to be somewhere in Europe.

Chances, she emphasized.

Orsi explained that while they’ve discussed potential filming locations in certain countries, they haven’t started scouting those locations yet, so there’s nothing concrete to share at this time.

After the season three finale aired on April 6th, White told HBO he wanted to move away from the show’s typically dramatic and intense style – which he compared to ‘crashing waves against rocks’ – in the next season.

“But,” he added, “there’s always room for more murders at the White Lotus hotels.”

During the Vivid Festival in Sydney in June 2023, White shared that Australia is a place he’s always dreamed of visiting.

You know, when I first saw this, I just thought, ‘Wow, this is exciting!’ It’s clear there’s incredible skill and, honestly, it’s visually stunning. It just feels like everything lines up perfectly – it really has all the right elements.

I was so excited to hear that Alexander Ludwig, who you might know from The Hunger Games, and AJ Michalka from Aly & AJ are officially joining the cast! HBO announced it back in December 2025, and it makes sense their characters could have some musical abilities – both of them have released albums before, which is awesome!

Cristóbal Tapia de Veer, the Emmy-winning composer known for the music of The White Lotus, won’t be returning for the fourth season. He says this is due to creative differences with the show’s creator, Mike White, which began when the series started.

Tapia de Veer explained to the New York Times that a few months prior, he’d informed the team he wouldn’t be returning. He chose not to tell Mike Flanagan directly, wanting to deliver the news as a surprise at the very end of the project. However, Flanagan did find out before the season concluded.

I’ll never forget the incredible opening theme for the first season – it was so instantly captivating, they even used it again at the start of season two! But apparently, getting it approved wasn’t easy. The composer, Tapia de Veer, told me that White initially didn’t even want a theme song, so it was a real battle to get it made and, thankfully, ultimately recognized as the success it is.

Honestly, I was so surprised when they changed the opening sequence for season three! He said no one asked him to do it, he just…did. And fans, including me, were not happy about it, let me tell you!

After the change was made public, I was contacted by media outlets like TMZ, as well as people from the UK and France, all wanting a comment. There was a lot of anger about the new theme, which I found fascinating. I suggested to the producer that we eventually release the full version, with the ‘ooh-loo-loo-loos,’ because I thought people would be shocked to discover that was where it was headed all along. He agreed, but Mike ultimately rejected the idea – he wasn’t on board with it.

The composer explained that they’d already had what felt like their final argument at that time, and because of that, the other person was refusing everything.

On April 8th’s The Howard Stern Show, White criticized Tapia de Veer’s decision to publicly complain, calling it a disrespectful act.

I’m really not sure what led to this situation,” White explained. “I’m only finding out details now through his interviews, as he’s doing publicity about his departure. It just feels like he didn’t have much respect for me.

The producer explained they didn’t actually have a real conflict. He said people thought they were feuding, but it was mostly just him offering feedback.

According to White, their working relationship was successful for the first two seasons because they openly exchanged ideas. However, by the third season, Tapia de Veer no longer wanted to collaborate—he didn’t want to share his work, receive feedback, or even attend recording sessions with White.

And, White added, “He’s definitely making a big deal out of just a creative difference.”

Jennifer Coolidge was happily surprised that Jon Gries, who previously played both Tanya’s intriguing love interest Greg in season one and her scheming husband in season two, returned for season three as the villainous widower Gary. However, Gries has indicated that, as far as he’s aware, his character’s romantic storyline is finished.

However, that’s what he thought last time.

He told The Hollywood Reporter that while he doesn’t plan on returning, he’s not entirely sure. After the season three finale, which kept Gary’s secret hidden, he added, “Each time I finish working on the show, I believe it will be my last.”

Despite the fun of constantly introducing new guests – White joked to The New Yorker about being able to ‘burn down the house’ and start fresh each season – the show has demonstrated that as long as a character isn’t actually dead…

Honestly, trying to figure out what Mike White is going to do next is impossible! I really didn’t expect to be back for season two, and I definitely didn’t assume anything about season three. He always throws these amazing curveballs. Of course, I’d love to come back as Greg, but I have no idea if my story is actually finished. He keeps everyone guessing, and it’s brilliant… and terrifying for someone like me who just wants to know what happens next!

Unless the show creates a prequel story or explores alternate universes, it’s unlikely Jennifer Coolidge will reprise her role as Tanya except through flashbacks or dream sequences. Despite her character’s death in the season two finale – revealed as the mystery body from the premiere – fans have still held out hope for her return, as she was the only character to appear in both seasons.

White has acknowledged feeling Tanya’s absence, but understands why Coolidge chose to eliminate her, despite her good intentions, naiveté, and immense wealth.

Coolidge described White as someone who stands by his choices, speaking on TopMob News in January 2023 after the season finale. She said he’s a great friend, but he was determined to create a grand, over-the-top ending for The White Lotus 2, and that meant Tanya had to be sacrificed.

Let me tell you, as someone who keeps up with all the latest in pop culture, it sounds like Tanya McQuoid-Hunt won’t be joining the cast for season three in Thailand. I recently read in The New Yorker that the actress feels Tanya’s story has run its course. She said, and I quote, ‘I don’t think Tanya’s ever coming back, so I have to live with it.’ It’s sad, but she seems at peace with that decision!

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2026-01-11 17:18