Production activity began this week on the third season of HBO’s “Big Little Lies” with a single day of filming at Warner Bros. Studios Burbank. The shoot took place on Thursday and included recurring cast member Merrin Dungey, who has portrayed Detective Adrienne Quinlan throughout the series’ previous seasons.
According to industry sources, the limited filming was undertaken to preserve the show’s California state tax credit, which has already received approval. State regulations require that principal photography commence within 180 calendar days of the Conditional Allocation Letter date, or 240 days for projects with qualified expenditure budgets exceeding $100 million. Full-scale production is anticipated to launch next year, though an exact start date has not been finalized. HBO has declined to comment, and no official announcement regarding the return to production has been made.
A permanent director for the season has not yet been designated, though the director present during this week’s shoot was a previous collaborator on the series who maintains DGA approval. Executive producer David E. Kelley has advocated for maintaining production in California, consistent with the approach taken for the show’s first two seasons.
The series centers on a group of Monterey, California residents whose lives become entangled in a murder investigation. The ensemble cast includes Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, and Zoë Kravitz, alongside supporting performers Alexander Skarsgård, Adam Scott, James Tupper, Jeffrey Nordling, and Meryl Streep. Dungey’s character investigates the central crime and harbors suspicions regarding the principal suspects.
Anticipation for a third season intensified after Kidman publicly indicated its possibility in November 2023. The project subsequently gained momentum when writer Francesca Sloane joined in September 2025 to develop the premiere episode and executive produce alongside Kelley, Kidman, and Witherspoon. Author Liane Moriarty released “Big Little Truths” in August, advancing the narrative timeline by ten years and reportedly serving as source material for the upcoming season.
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