Over two stellar seasons,TheWhite Lotushas established that its setting is as important as any of the show’s plentiful characters or plot elements. Whether it’s Maui or Taormina, the expansive resorts become metaphorical pressure cookers for interpersonal drama between the ultra-wealthy guests. This is why, despite onlyjust being renewed, fans are trying to guess where the third outing might be set. Mike White has given some hints on where he might want to take the show, but neither he nor HBO has given any official confirmation on where they will be filming or when it’ll be released.
For now, all we can do is speculate what luxury hotel will act as the host for all the decadence and debauchery. It’s not a complete guessing game, though, as there are some indicators contained within interviews and the show itself. Additionally,White Lotus’s tendency to comment on class disparity, gender power dynamics, and colonization can be used as a general guide when considering possible locations. We do have one concrete piece of data, however, which is that the show has exclusively usedFour Seasons propertiesso far. Unfortunately, that only narrows down the list slightly as they are a worldwide chain. With all that in mind, let’s travel the globe in search of a possible setting for the hit show’s highly anticipated third season.
The Maldives is the most obvious choice for a new locale as the island nation gets a shout-out from Daphne (Meghann Fahy) for where the two couplesshould vacationnext. There are three Four Seasons resorts in the southeast Asian country; one at Landaa Giraavaru, another at Kuda Huraa, and even a private island called Voavah. The setting of a private island could provide a unique twist for the newest iteration of the show, but the other two options are probably more likely.
Related:The White Lotus Season 2 Review: An Underwhelming, But Still Entertaining Addition to the Series
There are also some other unpleasant aspects of the Maldives that would make it a great place to hostTheWhite Lotus. One is the country’s atrocious human rights record. TheHuman Rights Watch’swebpage on the nation mentions its poor treatment of women and migrant workers, torture of prisoners and political dissidents, lack of rights for LBGTQ+ people, and disregard for the environment. Additionally, the Maldives is where disgraced New Jersey politician, David Friedland, went after he faked his death as a part of a high-profilecorruption case. These shady facets of the Maldives could definitely inspire Mike White’s salacious writing.
This prediction stems from a widely-cited quote from an interview with Mike White. According toIndiewire, White said that while “[t]he first season kind of highlighted money, and then the second season is sex,” he “think[s] the third season would be maybe a satirical and funny look at death and Eastern religion and spirituality. It feels like it could be a rich tapestry to do another round at White Lotus.”
Kyoto would be a great place to do this as it is filled with Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. The other two Japanese Four Seasons are in Tokyo, which is too populous and international for aWhite Lotusseason. The show could also use this as an opportunity to explore the United States' complex relationship with Japan since WWII and the orientalist views of many Americans.
The final guess is a bit of a wild card, but settingThe White Lotusin Tanzania would provide tons of new avenues to explore. The Serengeti would be a particularly great location as the safaris areinherently dangerousand could lead to a death or two. Due to the presence of wild animals, staff at safari resorts are also often armed to protect guests, which would gift the season a built-in Chekov’s Gun. The Four Seasons Safari Lodge in the Serengeti is also pretty isolated as it’s located in a national park, which could also amplify the tension between the guests and hotel staff. All this combined with the historical colonization of large swathes of Africa by the West could make for a fantastic season of television.
Related:White LotusCreator Mike White Shares Surprising Inspirations Behind HBO Hit
HBO and Mike White might not even be sure where season three ofThe White Lotuswill take place yet. No reports have emerged that they have even begun filming, let alone writing, new episodes. While previously standard, it’s pretty impressive that the second season ofTheWhite Lotuscame out around fifteen months after the first premiered.
Between the busy schedules of the show’s big-name talents, filming on-location abroad, and plain old fatigue, it might be a bit before we get to return to the darkly hilarious and intensely dramatic world of five-star resorts. Until then, all we can do is wonder about what Mike White will return to us with.
