HBO Boss Weighs in on Getting More The White Lotus or Succession

A number of HBO shows have managed to capture the world’s attention, from high-octane action series to more intimate dramas. Two of the more recent hits in the latter category have been Succession and The White Lotus, both of which have earned a number of awards and endeared audiences to their cast of characters. With Succession having wrapped last year, and The White Lotus currently at work on its third season, the question of each show’s long-term future has still remained. In a recent interview with Variety, HBO chairman and CEO Casey Bloys teased that more seasons will only happen once The White Lotus series creator Mike White and Succession creator Jesse Armstrong approach with ideas.

“I know Mike has a lot of ideas for where it could go,” Bloys revealed. “We’re lucky to be in business with him. And we have actors who now really, really want to be on the show because it’s a great opportunity and it’s great writing. So I think as long as he wants to do it, we’ll go along for the ride. He’s really built a very interesting model to go from different parts of the world and have a rotating cast.”

“Just like I was saying with Mike White, if he wants to do it, I would take [creator] Jesse [Armstrong’s] lead on that,” Bloys said of Succession. “If for some reason Jesse called and said, “I’ve been thinking about it and I really want to do a spinoff,” I would say, “Great.” But there are some shows that lend themselves to a Game of Thrones [trajectory]. The universe that George [R.R. Martin] has created has so many different eras and so many different families, and that lends itself to a lot of different takes. I don’t think that Succession normally does. But first and foremost, it would be up to Jesse, and I would follow his lead. I think he’s taking some time now to figure out what he wants to do, but we’ll see what he wants to do next. He needs a little time to decompress after the show and think about what he wants to do.”

What Is The White Lotus Season 3 About?

Set in Thailand, the cast of Season 3 of The White Lotus is confirmed to include Carrie Coon, Leslie Bibb, Dom Hetrakul, Jason Isaacs, Walton Goggins, Sarah Catherine Hook, Sam Nivola, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Aimee Lou Wood, Michelle Monaghan, Parker Posey, Lisa, Scott Glenn, Tayme Thapthimthong, Julian Kostov, Christian Friedel, Morgana O’Reilly, Lek Patravadi, and Shalini Peiris. Natasha Rothwell will also be reprising her role as Belinda Lindsey from Season 1 of The White Lotus.

“The first season kind of highlighted money,” White explained shortly after Season 2’s premiere. “And then, the second season is sex. And I think the third season would be maybe a kind of satirical and funny look at death and Eastern religion and spirituality. And it feels like it could be a rich tapestry to do another round at White Lotus.” 

Will Succession Get a Spinoff?

Previously, HBO Drama Chief Francesca Orsi confirmed that there are no plans for a fifth season of Succession, or any spinoffs. Some of the show’s ensemble cast have entertained the possibility, with the continued story of Gerri (J. Smith Cameron) being cited as a possibility.

“No, not at this point now,” Orsi said in an interview last year. “I know there was some talk about spinoffs, but no, not at all… I’ll never say never but my instinct and based on a number of conversations about the evolution of Succession and these characters, at this stage, there is no intention of spinning any one character off. Jesse, should he do a series again, I think it will be entirely original. Whether it’s based on IP or not, I’m not sure, but it will be a new show, a new idea entirely.”