Which branch of the hotel is next?
The finale of “The White Lotus” Season 3 has officially aired, and HBO has already renewed Mike White’s hit dramedy for a Season 4.
Each season is set at a different location of the titular resort, following a cast of unhappy wealthy characters on vacation until somebody dies.
At the start of Season 3, exec producer David Bernad told The Post about future episodes: “We haven’t gotten to it yet.”
At the time, he implied that behind the scenes, they were still focused on Season 3.
Season 1 was in Hawaii, Season 2 was in Sicily, and Season 3 brought audiences to Thailand.
Eagle-eyed viewers on Reddit seemed to think Season 3 had a clue that Colombia could be next, as Season 3 star Carrie Coon wore a Colombia t-shirt one episode.
HBO programming executive Francesca Orsi hinted to Deadline, “chances are somewhere in Europe.”
Could a cold weather vacation be next – maybe in a locale like Iceland?
Bernad revealed on The Bill Simmons Podcast that Lauren Sarner “Mike [White] does not like the cold.
“I feel confident we’ll never do a season in the cold. Mike is not built for…he’s a California guy, he’s not built for the cold,” he said. “Never say never, but I would be surprised.”
So, Iceland or Norway seem unlikely.
But, there are plenty of more conventional vacation hot spots such as Spain and France that the show hasn’t covered, yet.
It could also take a jaunt to a more obscure Eastern European country – Slovenia is rising in popularity as a tourist destination. Or, “The White Lotus” characters could have a lot to do at castles in Romania.
Previously, the show has mostly filmed at Four Seasons properties.
The Four Seasons and HBO formalized their partnership before Season 3 aired, so it’s increasingly likely Season 4 will also use a branch of the resort.
The luxury resort’s European locations include London, Paris, Geneva, Budapest, Athens, Madrid and Portugal.
Orsi told Deadline that a return to Europe was “likely,” adding that they talked about “some countries on the map,” but there’s “nothing to report on until they actually go locations scouting.”
In February, however, a source told Parade: “Right now, it’s looking like the next season of ‘The White Lotus’ will be shot in Egypt or Mexico.”
Bernad told The Post that when it comes to finding the perfect location for each season, “There’s a macro approach, which is ‘what’s a country that has a film community or local crew that also has a tax rebate that’s film friendly?’ We start in a broader sense, and each season has a larger theme.”
Since “The White Lotus” is an Emmy-winning show, it’s become like the Olympics with countries vying to host the next season.
“There’s an element of that – of people soliciting us – which is incredibly flattering and unexpected,” he said.
But, Bernad said, when choosing a location for each season, “ultimately, we’re dictated by the creative” over any other factor.
One major factor that will change in Season 4 is the signature music. Earlier this week, composer Cristóbal Tapia de Veer told The New York Times that he was exiting the show over creative differences, as he and Mike White had their “last fight.”
