'Big Little Lies' S03 kicks off with a one-day shoot
What's the story
The long-awaited third season of HBO's Big Little Lies, based on the book of the same name by Liane Moriarty, has commenced production, albeit briefly. The show filmed for just one day at Warner Bros. Studios Burbank's The Ranch Lot on Thursday, reported Variety. Among the cast members was Merrin Dungey, who plays Detective Adrienne Quinlan and has been part of the show since its inception in 2017.
Production timeline
One-day shoot to secure California tax credit
Full-scale production for Big Little Lies Season 3 is not expected to start until next year. However, the exact date remains uncertain.
The one-day shoot this week was reportedly conducted to secure California's state tax credit for the show, which has already been granted.
According to California tax incentive regulations, principal photography must commence within 180 calendar days of receiving the Conditional Allocation Letter or 240 calendar days for projects with a qualified expenditure budget exceeding $100 million.
Production insights
Director for Season 3 yet to be confirmed
While a director for Season 3 has not been confirmed yet, insiders revealed that the person who directed the recent shoot is already associated with Big Little Lies and has been approved by the Directors Guild of America (DGA).
Notably, executive producer David E. Kelley has been a big proponent of keeping production in California.
Show synopsis
Meanwhile, here's everything about 'Big Little Lies'
Big Little Lies features Reese Witherspoon (Madeline), Nicole Kidman (Celeste), and Laura Dern (Renata) as friends in Monterey, California.
They befriend Shailene Woodley's Jane, whose kid is new at the school.
Soon they learn a dark secret that leads to a homicide investigation.
Zoë Kravitz, Alexander Skarsgård, Adam Scott, James Tupper, and Jeffrey Nordling also star in supporting roles, while Meryl Streep joined the cast in Season 2.
Season 3
Speculation gained momentum in November 2023
The speculation about Big Little Lies's return for a third season after a long break gained momentum when Kidman hinted at its possibility in November 2023.
Then, in September 2025, Francesca Sloane joined the project to write the first episode and to executive produce alongside Kelley, Kidman, and Witherspoon.
In August, author Moriarty released her new novel in that universe titled Big Little Truths, which is expected to form the basis of Season 3's plotline.