The women of Monterey are finally coming back. HBO officially confirmed Big Little Lies Season 3 is in development, and the storyline will come directly from author Liane Moriarty’s new sequel book, Big Little Truths. The book hits shelves on August 25, 2026, and the TV season will follow its events.
The Sequel Book Brings a 10-Year Time Jump
Big Little Truths takes place a full decade after the original story. The children from the first season are now teenagers navigating high school.
The story kicks off when a high school principal receives a severed finger in the mail. A strange man also starts lurking around the school asking questions. The official book logline reveals: “Madeline is planning her 50th birthday party. Jane is happily married to Tom (isn’t she?). Celeste is haunted by memories of her dead husband, and troubled by her very alive mother-in-law. The kids are no longer kids. And things are falling apart”.
Liane Moriarty told USA Today that teenagers serve as the “Greek chorus” in this sequel, unlike the first book where parents filled that role.
“In the first book, the parents at the school provide the Greek chorus explaining the action and what happened. In this book, the teenagers − the kids − are the Greek chorus.”
Main Cast Expected to Return
The core cast is set to reprise their roles:
- Reese Witherspoon as Madeline Mackenzie
- Nicole Kidman as Celeste Wright
- Shailene Woodley as Jane Chapman
- Laura Dern as Renata Klein
- Zoë Kravitz as Bonnie Carlson
Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon are both leading the cast and serving as executive producers. Shailene Woodley posted a cast photo on social media with the caption “We ARE so back,” hyping up the return.
Laura Dern’s performance as Renata Klein actually influenced how Moriarty wrote the character in the sequel book. The author admitted, “It’s all Laura Dern’s fault because she was so amazing as Renata, it was impossible for me to not give her a bigger role also in this book”.
Production Timeline and Release Window
David E. Kelley, the series creator, confirmed that filming is expected to start in fall 2026. Because production begins late in the year, a 2026 release is not possible.
Big Little Lies Season 3 is tracking for a mid-to-late 2027 premiere on HBO and Max. This means fans will wait over eight years since Season 2 ended in July 2019.
Reese Witherspoon gave an update on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on June 22, 2026, confirming the season is “in process”. When Fallon joked that she always tells him nothing, Witherspoon replied: “It is in process, for sure”.
“It is in process, for sure. You’ll see where we’re at. We are making the TV show based on that book.” – Reese Witherspoon
New Writer Joins the Team
Francesca Sloane, co-creator of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, has been hired to write the first episode and serve as executive producer. She signed a two-year overall deal with HBO.
Sloane joins David E. Kelley, Nicole Kidman, and Reese Witherspoon as executive producers. Kelley told People magazine: “We’re getting the band back together, and it should be a good run again”.
“We’re getting the band back together, and it should be a good run again.” – David E. Kelley
Director Jean-Marc Vallée’s Absence
Jean-Marc Vallée, who directed the entire first season and served as executive producer for Season 2, passed away in December 2021. His visual style defined the show’s look. Whoever directs Season 3 will have big shoes to fill.
Andrea Arnold directed all of Season 2 but lost creative control during post-production to match Season 1’s visual style.
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HBO Chairman’s Role in the Delay
Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, said in 2024 that the network was waiting for Moriarty’s sequel book before moving forward. This explains why development took so long after Season 2 ended.
Moriarty explained why she waited to write a sequel: “Right from the beginning, because of the show, there was talk about writing a sequel, but I was never interested right away because you put your characters through so much”. She added that “a time jump always made sense to me”.
Also Read: Big Little Lies Season 3 Gets ‘Getting the Band Back Together’ Promise from Creator David E. Kelley
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