EYNTK About Big Little Lies Season 3 (So Far)

HBO

Your favourite star-studded whodunnit series (Big Little Lies) is set to make a comeback for its third season.

… It just might take a couple years.

With season 2 released in 2019, almost five years ago, our hopes of seeing Monterey, California back on our screens were beginning to dwindle.

The first two seasons of the show followed a group of women dealing with the aftermath of a murder in the wealthy coastal town, brought to life by a dazzling ensemble cast, including Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, Nicole Kidman, and Laura Dern.

Rumours of the bingeable series’ return have been flying for a few months now, and it finally looks like there’s some truth to it.

Here’s everything we know so far.

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Last October, Nicole Kidman, star and executive producer of the show, hinted that something was in the works. She revealed that showrunner David Kelley and Liane Moriarty, author of the original novel, had a promising idea for the next step of the Monterey five.

Kidman then confirmed these rumours in a Deadline interview in November, expressing the joy that working on Big Little Lies with her co-producer Reese brought her, and promised a third season. Witherspoon echoed this at the Golden Globes, confirming that they were indeed “working on it”.

Though we would consider both women as pretty reliable sources, there was no comment from HBO affirming the show’s return.

That was, until now.

HBO

HBO’s content chairman and CEO, Casey Bloys, revealed to Variety that he had heard the plot idea for season 3; “I think it could be great!”. He went on to say that the production is in “very early stages right now.”

There are a lot of factors to consider before the cameras start rolling. Bloys shared the challenges that come with having such a talented cast. Though Witherspoon and Kidman seem to be raring to go, the other leading ladies, Woodley and Dern, have yet to comment on if they’re taking part in the new season or not.

These are some of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood, so, according to Bloys, scheduling issues and general interest will have to be gauged first.

In a 2022 interview, Zoë Kravitz, who plays the character of Bonnie, seemed certain that season 2 was the end of the show. With the unexpected passing of the director of the first series, Jean-Marc Vallée, in 2021, Kravitz couldn’t see how they would continue, stating, “He really was the visionary for the show.”

However, Kidman recently mentioned Kravitz’s renewed interest in the possibility of season 3 – so it looks like we’ll just have to wait and see.

 

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The plot of the third season also has a big question mark next to it.

Season 1, which aired in 2017, was based on Moriarty’s novel of the same name. Originally envisioned as a one-off miniseries, HBO decided to renew it for a second season thanks to its critical acclaim. With 19 major award nominations, and taking home four Golden Globes and five Emmys, a second season was a no brainer.

In 2019, season 2 of Big Little Lies was released, continuing the story of the Monterey five, this time with the addition of another A-lister, Meryl Streep, who played Kidman’s formidable mother-in-law.

As for what season 3 will entail, the possibilities are endless. It could account for the time jump between now and the end of season 2, or maybe the story will pick up right where we left off, revealing what happened to the women after coming clean for the events of the first season.

We do not yet know the release date for Big Little Lies season 3, but we do know it’s coming. And with Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon excited about the story, it is sure to be a good one.

Words by Sorcha Lynch 

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