Well, it’s official: Big Little Lies is coming back for at least one more round of Monterey mom drama! Season 3 of the Emmy-winning series is officially in the works at HBO with OGs Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman reprising their roles as Madeline and Celeste, respectively, as well as serving as executive producers (alongside David E. Kelley). Also exciting? Francesca Sloane, co-creator and showrunner of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, has been tapped to write the pilot episode.
Of course, it’s been a hot minute since we last saw the “Monterey Five” — 2019, to be precise. So, here’s a quick rundown of what we know about the new season so far, as well as a little refresher on where we left off.
What’s been said so far about Season 3?
According to Deadline, the big buzz surrounding S3 is the hiring of Sloane to write the first episode. The second season of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, which Sloane co-created with Donald Glover, has been delayed indefinitely at Prime Video, and while that’s unfortunate, it led to Sloane finding a new home at HBO. She’s signed a two-year overall deal with the studio/streamer. So, it’s entirely possible the pilot episode could be the tip of the iceberg where Sloane’s involvement with Big Little Lies is concerned.
What is Big Little Lies based on?
Season 1 of Big Little Lies was based on the novel of the same name by Liane Moriarty. Season 2 was based on original material written by Moriarty once it became clear the “limited series” would be getting a second installment. As for the new season, the source material is unclear at this point.
Last fall, Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO of HBO and HBO Max Content, suggested they were waiting on Moriarty’s previously announced sequel book to be released in 2026 before moving ahead with another season. That novel, although still set for release next year, is believed to be finished – meaning it’s definitely possible the upcoming book served as S3 source material.
What will the new season be about?
It’s still far too early to tell. However, we do have a bit of possible context from Moriarty. Of her Big Little Lies follow-up book, she’s said that it features a time jump. How big a time jump? Remember how all the Monterey moms had young kids when we last saw them? Yeah, those kids are now teens.
It’s also possible that the series will bridge the time between the first two seasons and the teen timeline of the new book with a gap season comprised of completely original material.
Either way, it helps to look back at where we left off. A few major finale moments:
- Bonnie (Zoë Kravitz) struggled with guilt and ultimately confessed she pushed Perry.
- Mary Louise (Meryl Streep), Perry’s mother, squared off against Celeste (Kidman) in a brutal custody battle. Ultimately, Celeste won full custody of her twin sons, Max and Josh.
- Madeline (Witherspoon) seemed to have worked through her marital issues with Ed (Adam Scott) after he discovered her infidelity.
- Renata (Laura Dern) discovered her husband Gordon’s shady financial dealings, which basically lost them their entire fortune. In a cathartic outburst, she smashed his prized train set.
- Jane (Shailene Woodley) cautiously opened herself up to new love with Corey (Douglas Smith) as she continued to heal from Perry’s assault and the subsequent fallout.
- The “Monterey Five” confessed as a united front to police after a season of cover-ups around Perry’s death.
Why is the S3 news so highly anticipated?
The news that S3 is officially in the works puts years of rumors and speculation about a reboot to rest. Given that the series was both a critical and ratings hit, fans have been clamoring for more since Season 2 ended. But interest in another installment really ramped up in 2023, when Kidman let it slip that talks had begun at HBO about putting a third season together.
The stars, it would seem, are just as eager to return to the drama. Witherspoon, Kidman, Kravitz, Dern, and Woodley have all spoken publicly about their love for Big Little Lies and their collective desire to revisit their characters.
With the series now officially set to return, fans will finally get to see what comes next for the “Monterey Five.” Will their confession set them free — or unravel their lives even further? HBO hasn’t revealed a premiere date yet, but after six long years, Season 3 is at least finally on the horizon.
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