Jan 11
Report: 'Big Little Lies' Headed for Season 3
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon are said to be cooking something up for a potential third season of the hit HBO drama "Big Little Lies," though it may be a while (if ever) before any new episodes drop.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, sources say that the pair of powerhouse actors/producers "are in the nascent stages of developing an idea for a potential third season of their Emmy-winning anthology-turned-ongoing drama series."
Those sources say that "Witherspoon and Kidman have an idea to center the season on that they both are excited about and are working in their capacity as producers to put together a formal pitch before taking it to HBO," THR detailed.
"Those same sources say HBO has yet to formally hear the plans but have been briefed on the larger concept," the writeup added. "No deals are in place and a pitch has yet to happen though all parties are excited given the franchise's penchant for awards."
"Based on the 2014 Liane Moriarty book of the same name, Season 1 of 'Big Little Lies' debuted in 2017 and follows a group of women in Monterey, CA – played by Witherspoon, Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern and Zoë Kravitz – who find themselves caught up in a homicide investigation," Variety said.
"Season 2, which premiered in February 2019, introduced Meryl Streep to the main cast as the mother-in-law of Kidman's character Celeste," Variety added.
The Hollywood Reporter went on to note that a third season might give the cable network a boost given that it "would bring back one of the cabler's most prestigious and star-studded shows following a year in which the Warner Bros. Discovery-backed network said farewell to awards darlings 'Succession' and 'Barry,' with the conclusion of 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' set for this year."
The report recalled that prospects for more of the David E. Kelley-created series seemed dim thanks to Kidman and Witherspoon juggling other projects. The death of Jean-Marc Vallée also cast a pall, given that under his direction the first season became an awards juggernaut, winning eight out of 16 Emmy nominations (including Best Director for Vallée), as well as picking up Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards.
But the outlook brightened "late last year when Kidman said at a conference that 'we will be bringing you a third one,'" THR added.
"Witherspoon backed Kidman's sentiments in an interview Sunday," Jan. 7, in a red carpet interview at the Golden Globes awards, the report continued.
"We are working on it," Witherspoon said in remarks to Variety, THR noted. "Nic and I have been working on it a lot."
Given that nothing had been greenlit, let alone written or filmed, it could be a year or longer before the series makes its return.
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
