Big Little Lies Season 3 Is Finally Happening—and Here’s What’s Really Changed Behind the Scenes
Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon are back in action as HBO gives Big Little Lies the green light at last—find out what sparked the new momentum after years of silence.
Yes, Big Little Lies is actually moving again. After years of vague hints and polite shrugs, HBO has nudged Season 3 into real motion. Not a premiere date, not a trailer, but actual forward progress. I will take it.
Where things stand right now
- HBO has Big Little Lies Season 3 in active development, according to Variety. Translation: it is not filming, but scripts and planning are officially underway.
- Francesca Sloane, the co-creator of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, has joined as an executive producer and is writing the first episode.
- Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon are the only cast members locked in so far.
- Whether Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, and Zoe Kravitz return is still up in the air.
- David E. Kelley is back behind the scenes, and he, Kidman, and Witherspoon will executive produce the new season.
How we got here
The darkly funny drama wrapped Season 2 in 2019 and has been on ice ever since. Conversations about a third season kicked up again in 2023, when Kidman publicly teased the possibility. Since then, she and Witherspoon have been dropping periodic breadcrumbs that something was brewing. Now we know what that something is: a Season 3 framework with a new writer onboard.
A quick refresher
Big Little Lies follows five wealthy women whose lives spiral around a murder investigation. The first two seasons were led by Kidman as Celeste Wright, Witherspoon as Madeline Mackenzie, Shailene Woodley as Jane Chapman, Laura Dern as Renata Klein, and Zoe Kravitz as Bonnie. The ensemble also included Meryl Streep, Adam Scott, Alexander Skarsgard, Iain Armitage, and Kathryn Newton.
The series was created for TV by David E. Kelley, based on Liane Moriarty's 2014 novel. Both seasons landed Certified Fresh scores on Rotten Tomatoes, and Season 1 won a pile of Emmys and Golden Globes, including Outstanding Limited Series. Yes, the 'limited series' that did not stay limited.
What this actually means
Active development is important, but it is not a production start. There are still scripts to write, schedules to align, and deals to make with the rest of the cast. The big takeaway: HBO is seriously pushing forward, Kidman and Witherspoon are in, and Francesca Sloane is steering the first episode. When more Monterey moms are officially back in the fold, we will know this train is really leaving the station.