The White Lotus: cast of series 3 revealed by HBO, from Jason Isaacs to Michelle Monaghan

The cast for the third season of gripping hotel drama The White Lotus has been revealed by HBO, with a fan favourite set to return.

While the Emmy-winning season two was shot in Italy, the third will be set in Thailand, with creator Mike White saying it will explore death and religion.

He told E News: “The first season highlighted money, the second covered sex, and I think the third will be a funny, satirical look at death, Eastern religion, and spirituality.

“It feels like it could be a rich tapestry to do another round of The White Lotus.”

Series two was a massive hit with fans and critics alike heralding the show as “peak TV”.

What do we know about the location?

The next season of the show will be set in Thailand. The first and second seasons were filmed at Four Seasons resorts, in Hawaii and then in Sicily, but it’s not yet known whether season three will be shot at the luxury hotel chain in Thailand, too.

There are four Four Season hotels in Thailand: in Bangkok, in Chiang Mai, in the Golden Triangle and – the most likely spot for the next season if creator Mike White keeps with his sandy theme – in Ko Samui, which boasts one of the most exquisite beaches in the world.

Has production begun yet?

Production has not begun yet but, according to multiple sources, White has been spending time in Thailand. Filming is set to start ramping up from February.

As Anna van Praagh writes, Thailand will be the perfect setting.

Who is going to star in the series?

Thrillingly, the cast for series three has finally been announced by HBO.

New characters will be played by actors including Leslie Bibb (About My Father), Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter), Michelle Monaghan (Mission Impossible III), and Aimee Lou Wood (Sex Education).

Monaghan wrote on Instagram: “Words cannot express how grateful and excited I am to be a part of this epic show! It’s a dream come true to get to work with Mike White.”

Characters in The White Lotus do not tend to overlap across series, but Natasha Rothwell, who starred as masseuse Belinda in series one, is returning. In the first series, viewers saw Jennifer Coolidge’s Tanya offer Belinda the chance to open her own wellness centre, only to backtrack.

Rothwell told Vanity Fair that on reading the script for series three she “gasped out loud a minimum of five times.

“The scripts are a testament to Mike’s skill and ability to tell the most smart and entertaining stories. Everyone needs to buckle up, because it’s going to get real.”

Walton Goggins (The Hateful Eight), Sarah Catherine Hook (American Crime Story), Sam Nivola (White Noise), Patrick Schwarzenegger (The Terminal List), Parker Posey (Party Girl), Thai star Dom Hetrakul, Miloš Biković (Serf), Carrie Coon (The Nest) and Christian Friedel (The Zone of Interest) are also set to feature in the new series.

They will star alongside Morgana O’Reilly (Housebound), Lek Patravadi, Shalini Peiris (The Good Karma Hospital) and Tayme Thapthimthong (Farang).

The White Lotus series one and two are still available to watch on NOW