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Big Little Lies season three: Everything we know so far

Find out if Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon and co. are reuniting


big little lies 3
Francesca Shillcock
Senior Features Writer
On 22 March 2021
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Gorgeous houses, beautiful people and shocking scandal – it can only be Big Little Lies. Fans have been wondering whether a third season of the HBO drama, boasting a cast of Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon and Zoe Kravitz, would be returning ever since season two landed on screens back in 2019.

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The series, which is based on the novel by Lianne Moriarty, tells the story of five successful women and the complicated lives they lead in a sunny Californian town.

But will we see the Monterey Five back again soon? We found out all the details but, warning!, potential spoilers ahead for season one and two...

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Will there be season three of Big Little Lies?

As of yet, there are no concrete plans in the works for a season three and the pandemic and busy schedules are partly to blame. One of the show's creators, David E. Kelley, told TV Line: "I'm not sure logistically how it could be done because everyone is so busy."

He added: "It [certainly] couldn't be done right away. Down the road? Maybe. But we so love the show and the characters, so none of us have given up on the idea of bringing the band back together."

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shailene reese© Photo: Rex

Reese Witherspoon and Shailene Woodley in Big Little Lies

What have the cast said about season three of Big Little Lies?

Luckily, it seems that the cast of the HBO show are more than up for taking part in series three – so it's certainly possible that in the future we could see the Monterey Five back again!

Speaking on BBC Radio 2 to Zoe Ball in 2020, Nicole Kidman, who plays Celeste Wright in the show, told the host: "Reese and I talk about it a lot and Zoe, Shay all of us, Laura – who is actually over there now, she's in London right now shooting. We're desperate to all get together again." Yay!

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nicole kidman meryl© Photo: Rex

Nicole Kidman said the cast would "love" to do season three

What would season three of Big Little Lies be about?

As well as the cast voicing their desire to get together again, there have also been snippets of what fans could expect from a third season. In 2020, Nicole also spoke to iHeart Radio's Jam Nation podcast about what the story would look like for season three. "There's a story being concocted," she said, adding: "Our group of women all want to do it. It's more the kernel of ideas that just need to be solidified."

If season three does eventually happen, fans can expect to see Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Zoe Kravitz and Shailene Woodley all reprise their roles. Alexander Skarsgaard is likely to return in flashbacks, while Adam Scott and Meryl Streep could also be tipped to appear once again.

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What happened in seasons one and two of Big Little Lies?

Warning! Spoilers below…

For those who haven't seen the show but want a brief catch-up, season one introduced us to the Monterey Five – Madeline Mackenzie, Celeste Wright, Jane Chapman, Bonnie Carlson and Renata Klein whose lives begin to entwine in a number of dramatic and shocking ways.

zoe kravitz© Photo: Rex

Zoe Kravitz and Bonnie Carlson

The show starts with the death of a mystery person before leading up to a dramatic climax involving Celeste's abusive husband, Perry. After attacking his wife at a school fundraiser, the other girls intervene in a physical scuffle before Bonnie rushes over and pushes him off, causing him to fall down the stairs and die. In this moment, Jane realises that Perry is in fact the man who sexually assaulted her a number of years earlier – making him the father of her child, Ziggy.

Season two then focuses on the fallout of Perry's death and introduces us to his mother, Mary-Louise, played by Meryl Streep. Meanwhile, Ziggy meets his half-brothers, Celeste's twins Josh and Max, while Jane and Celeste navigate their new blended family at the hands of her late abusive husband.

The second season also shifts focus towards Bonnie and her guilt of pushing Perry and how her childhood and relationship with her mother played a part in her upbringing. 

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