Honestly, we all thought the Monterey Five were done after that somber walk into the police station at the end of 2019. It felt final. It felt like the weight of that lie—the one about Perry Wright’s "fall" down the stairs—had finally crushed the life out of the group’s collective secrecy. But Hollywood is a strange place where "limited series" rarely stay limited if the ratings are high enough.
The rumors about Big Little Lies Season 3 have shifted from hopeful whispers to something that feels a lot more concrete. Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman aren't just "open" to it anymore; they are actively talking about it as a project in motion.
The Monterey Five Might Be Back Sooner Than You Think
It’s been years. A lot has changed since Bonnie, played by Zoë Kravitz, looked at the others and realized they couldn't live with the guilt anymore. For a long time, the biggest hurdle wasn't the story—it was the tragic passing of Jean-Marc Vallée. He was the visionary director who gave the first season its distinct, dreamy, high-end-real-estate-meets-noir vibe. His death in 2021 left a massive hole in the production’s heart.
Many fans, and even the cast, felt that doing more without him might feel wrong. Like a betrayal of the show's DNA.
But then, 2024 happened. Nicole Kidman basically broke the internet during a Q&A at an LPGA event when she casually mentioned, "We will be bringing you a third one, just FYI." She wasn't being vague. She was being definitive. Shortly after, Reese Witherspoon confirmed to Variety that they were "working on it."
So, what changed?
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The Liane Moriarty Factor
The foundation of this show has always been the writing of Liane Moriarty. The first season followed her book almost to the letter. The second season? That was a bit of a gamble, seeing as there was no sequel novel. Moriarty actually wrote a 50-page novella specifically to act as a roadmap for Season 2 so the producers wouldn't get lost.
For Big Little Lies Season 3, word is that Moriarty is once again involved in the conceptual phase. This is crucial. Without her specific brand of "rich people with dark secrets," the dialogue tends to lose its bite. You need that mix of school-run politics and genuine, bone-chilling trauma.
Why a Third Season is a Massive Risk
Not everyone wants this. Let's be real.
The second season received a bit of a mixed bag of reviews compared to the near-perfect first outing. Even with Meryl Streep screaming at a dinner table—which, let's face it, was iconic—some critics felt the narrative was spinning its wheels. The "lie" was already out there. The tension was dissipating.
If they come back for a third round, the stakes have to be fundamentally different. We can't just watch Madeline Martha Mackenzie have another affair or Celeste Wright mourn a monster for another seven episodes. We've seen that. We need a new catalyst.
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- The kids are older now.
- The "Amabella" generation would be entering their teens.
- Teenage secrets are often more dangerous than adult ones.
Imagine the Monterey Five trying to protect their children from the same cycle of violence and social posturing they fell into. That is a story worth telling.
Cast Availability: The Scheduling Nightmare
Look at this cast. It’s arguably the greatest collection of female talent ever put on a single television call sheet.
- Nicole Kidman (Celeste): She's constantly filming three things at once.
- Reese Witherspoon (Madeline): She’s a mogul. Between The Morning Show and her production company Hello Sunshine, her calendar is a Tetris puzzle.
- Shailene Woodley (Jane): Usually busy with indie films and environmental activism.
- Laura Dern (Renata): A woman who stays booked and busy.
- Zoë Kravitz (Bonnie): Now a sought-after director and Catwoman herself.
Getting them all in the same room at the same time is expensive. It’s also logistically terrifying for a line producer. Rumors suggest that the delay isn't about the script—it’s about finding a six-month window where all five stars aren't already committed to other franchises.
What About Meryl?
We don't know if Mary Louise Wright will return. Her character's arc felt fairly complete after the custody battle in Season 2. But this is Meryl Streep. If she wants to come back and terrorize the Peninsula again, HBO will write the check.
The Themes We Expect to See
If Big Little Lies Season 3 happens, it has to deal with the fallout of the police station scene. Did they all confess? Did only Bonnie confess?
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There is a version of this story where the women are dealing with the legal system. But that sounds a bit like a courtroom drama, and this show is a psychological thriller. More likely, the "confession" didn't go exactly as we imagined. Maybe they walked in, but something—or someone—stopped them from telling the whole truth.
Renata Klein losing her money was one of the best subplots of Season 2. Seeing her "new poor" (which is still probably richer than most of us) was hilarious and heartbreaking. We need more of that. We need the biting commentary on wealth that made the show a phenomenon in the first place.
How to Prepare for the Big Announcement
If you're waiting for a trailer, stop. We are likely still in the "active development" and "scripting" phase. Production hasn't officially moved to Monterey yet. However, the momentum is higher now than it has been in five years.
Here is how you should actually track this:
- Watch the HBO Max (now Max) slate announcements. They usually drop "The Years Ahead" teasers in late Q4.
- Follow Hello Sunshine on social media. Reese Witherspoon’s company is the engine behind this show. They will be the first to post a "first day of school" photo from the set.
- Keep an eye on Liane Moriarty's book releases. If she announces a sequel book, Season 3 is 100% guaranteed to follow its plot.
The most important thing to remember is that this show survives on chemistry. The reason we want Big Little Lies Season 3 isn't just to solve a mystery. We want to see those women sitting on a deck, drinking wine, and looking at the ocean while their lives slowly fall apart. It’s a vibe. It’s a specific kind of prestige TV comfort food that hasn't quite been replaced by anything else since it went off the air.
The best move for any fan right now is to go back and re-watch the finale of Season 2. Look closely at the faces of the women as they walk into that station. Their expressions tell you everything you need to know about where their headspaces will be when the cameras finally start rolling again. The lie isn't gone; it's just changing shape.
Keep your eyes on the trades, but don't hold your breath for a premiere date before 2026. High-quality drama takes time, and with this much star power, the wait is usually a sign that they're trying to get the script right rather than just cashing a check.