'Big Little Lies' season 3 is official: Cast, plot, release date and everything to know
The Monterey Five are returning to our screens after six years, and the drama promises to be bigger than ever.
Monterey moms, assemble! After years of whispers, wishful thinking, and a whole lot of “will they, won’t they,” HBO has finally confirmed that Big Little Lies season 3 is officially in the works. Yes, you read that right! The Monterey Five are coming back to our screens and our lives.
The second season of Big Little Lies premiered over six years ago, and since then, the makers have maintained radio silence on returning to the screen. But just when fans of the show had given up on the idea, HBO announced the show's comeback.
All you need to know
Big Little Lies season 3 is expected to move forward with Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman reprising their roles as Madeline Mackenzie and Celeste Wright, respectively. Shailene Woodley might have just confirmed that she, too, would return to the show, along with Zoë Kravitz and Laura Dern, as she shared a picture of the trio on Instagram and wrote, "We ARE so back... Big Little Lies 3, you ready??? (sic)."
Showrunner Francesca Sloane, credited as the co-creator of Mr & Mrs Smith (2024), is reportedly set to write the first episode of the third season, while Witherspoon and Kidman will join as producers along with David E Kelley.
What makes it even more exciting is that the third season will once again draw directly from the mind behind the original saga. Liane Moriarty, the author whose book started it all, is creating brand-new source material to shape the storyline. For those unfamiliar, she already has a fresh novel slated for release in 2026.
What to expect?
Reports indicate that the new season will feature many new faces alongside the veterans from Big Little Lies. After the passing of director Jean-Marc Vallée in 2021, Kravitz even admitted she couldn’t picture the show without him, but owing to the persistent enthusiasm of Witherspoon and Kidman, HBO finally decided to get the show back on track.
Details about the new script in the making have been kept under wraps, but with the OG author involved, we can definitely expect some fresh and intense drama.
The show's release in 2026 is set to coincide with Moriarty's new book release, giving fans plenty of time to rewatch and refresh their memory on the Monterey drama.
Lead image: Getty Images
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