The White Lotus Season 4 Is About Fame

3 min readSomeone tell Cannes to keep an eye out, because something tells me there’s a few bodies littered about. Following a divisive third season set in Ko Samui, Thailand, the fourth season of the HBO dark comedy The White Lotus will take place in the South of France. The cast, featuring Laura Dern, Max Greenfield, and Kumail Nanjiani were spotted recreating closing night at the international Cannes Film Festival this summer, further cementing that the upcoming season will satirize the entertainment industry.Alexander Ludwig (The Hunger Games), who is joining The White Lotus for season 4 in an undisclosed role, told Esquire in a new interview with that they’re halfway through production, but the season is “going to surprise a lot of people.”“This season’s theme is fame,” he confirmed, adding that he was reading “some of the best scripts I've ever read in my life.”“I've never laughed harder then been hit harder at the same time,” Ludwig said. “Mike White is such a genius with how he threads that needle... There is shit that’s going to happen on this that you have never seen on TV before. That’s how insane this season is.”For now, I’ll heed the lessons of the Buddhist monks in season 3 and embrace the chaos of life. For everything else we know so far, let’s chart a course for season 4.Arnold Jerocki//Getty ImagesChris Messina and Laura Dern were spotted filming scenes for ‘The White Lotus’ season 4 at this summer’s Cannes Film Festival in France.Where Will The White Lotus Season 4 Take Place?In January, Variety reported that shooting will take place at the Château de La Messardière in Saint-Tropez on the Côte d’Azur. The hotel is a former 19th-century palace and is part of the Airelles Collection, a group of five-star hotels owned by Banijay Group founder Stephane Courbit. With suites going as far as $8,000 per night, it's exactly the sort of place White Lotus characters might visit, some for the very last night of their lives.Prior to season 3, White reportedly reached out to the Norwegian Film Institute for a grant to film a season of The White Lotus in Norway. But according to producer David Bernad, “Mike does not like the cold.” As he told The Bill Simmons Podcast, “[White] is a California guy. He is not built for the cold. Never say never, but I would be surprised.”In an "Unpacking the Episode" breakdown that aired after the season 3 finale, series creator Mike White added that he still “want[ed] to get a little bit out of the ‘crashing waves against rocks’ vernacular” for the next season.Speculation that The White Lotus was destined for France began at the start of season 3, when HBO programming executive Francesca Orsi told reporters at the premiere, “I can’t really say where we’re going to land, but chances are somewhere in Europe.”Arnold Jerocki//Getty ImagesAlexander Ludwig filming in Cannes for ‘The White Lotus’ season 4.Who Will Return for The White Lotus Season 4? The new season will star Laura Dern, Steve Coogan, Caleb Jonte Edwards, Marissa Long, Chris Messina, AJ Michalka, and Alexander Ludwig. No character details have been revealed just yet, but Ludwig tells Esquire that it was a dream to join White’s comedy drama.“Nothing has hit the cultural zeitgeist the way this show has,” Ludwig said. “Everybody wants to be on this show ... I talked to Leslie Bibb before I came here because we just did a film together, so I knocked on her trailer and was like, ‘Leslie, tell me everything.’ And she said, ‘You need to understand, Alexander, there is nothing like this. Like nothing. Just hold onto your seatbelt.’”It’s rumored that Dern will play an aging star looking to make a comeback at the festival. Dern replaced Helena Bonham Carter after the actress left the project due to “creative reasons.” Ludwig describes his character as someone he’s “always dreamed of playing,” but the actor kept the details close to his chest.It’s also possible that some familiar faces might return. Spa manager Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) and Greg (Jon Gries) are the only two surviving characters who have appeared in multiple seasons thus far. So, they both have the opportunity to check into another White Lotus resort for season 4.When Will The White Lotus Season 4 Premiere?Though there was only a year in between season 1 and season 2, we waited over two years for The White Lotus to return for season 3. Several factors were to blame, including the Covid-19 pandemic and the writers strike. Still, I wouldn’t imagine season 4 airing anytime before 2027. Until then, maybe you deserve some time at a real White Lotus resort yourself.